Ho, Jul. 29, GNA – The Nyive Sector Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), has intercepted 2,497 parcels of suspected Indian hemp on early hours of Tuesday in the Atikpui community located in the enclave.

 

The parcels which were packed in 33 sacks were intercepted at about 0300 hours upon a signal received by the Command, have serial numbers embossed on them.

 

Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) Abdulai Zakaria, Sector Commander for Nyive in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) disclosed that he deployed officers to the area which was behind the Atikpui School park after receiving a signal.

 

He said the officers got there, laid ambush and heard the sound of a vehicle but the occupants sped off with the vehicle upon sensing the presence of the officers.

 

ACI Zakaria said a search led to the identification of the sacks packed in a bush as the carrying truck got stucked in the mud.

 

He said the occupants offloaded the vehicle and succeeded in pulling it out of the mud but could not load the sacks on board before the officers got there, which resulted in the dealers running away.

 

ACI Zakaria said the sacks were brought to the Command and later handed over to personnel from the Narcotics Control Commission from Accra.

 

He entreated citizens to desist from engaging in illicit drugs while calling on community leaders and members to assist the Service to eliminate such activities.

 

ACI Zakaria expressed gratitude to the Comptroller Commissioner of Immigration for support to the Command, the Border Security Committee (BORSEC) for their support as well as all stakeholders for their collaboration.

 

It would be recalled that the Sector Command intercepted 1,490 parcels in November last year from the Atikpui community.

 

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ho, July 29, GNA – Mr Eli Hini, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mobile Money Limited, a subsidiary of MTN Ghana has commended the media for its continuous support.

 

He said, “the media is very important to us” and remained as strong partner because of its crucial role in their operations by educating and informing the public about their services, thus the commendation.

 

Mr Hini was speaking at a Volta Regional Media and Stakeholders’ Forum organised by the MTN Ghana in Ho on the theme: “Building Platforms to Deliver a Brighter Future for Ghana and Beyond.”

 

The engagement aimed at equipping the personnel of the media with the right information about the services of the MTN Ghana so they would be able to respond accurately to issues regarding the services during their programmes.

 

He entreated the media to lead the crusade on the phenomenon of fibre cuts and educate them to be alert to report culprits to avoid unnecessary disconnections.

 

Mr Hini, said MTN Ghana was poised to delivering quality services to its customers across the length and breadth of the country and committed to the growth of the local economy to ensure that “our own benefit from the business we run.”

 

He said they were currently realigning their support to meet the new trends, especially digitalisation as the world was gravitating towards that direction, so with regards to economic empowerment, the focus now was on Small and Medium Enterprises as well as Information Communication and Technology hubs.

 

This, he said, was paramount to ensure that the businesses could evolve and give people the opportunity to develop new businesses out of them to earn a decent living and improve their livelihoods.

 

He said Mymtn App which had 1.3 million monthly users and 300,000 daily users, was aimed at offering digital solutions to the customers and that they would continue to put measures in place to sustain its growth.

 

He said the Chenosis marketplace also provided a platform for businesses and new innovators to connect and accorded the young ones who were tech savvy the best opportunity to develop solutions that would benefit them and society.

 

Source: Ghana News Agency

Balungu (U/E), July 29, GNA – Less than two years after reconstruction, the Bongo-Balungu Bridge on the Bongo-Balungu-Namoo road in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region has started deteriorating, posing risks to users.

 

A visit to the place by the Ghana News Agency saw that multiple potholes had been created on the road, while its edges were being washed away by erosion caused by the recent rains.

 

The bridge which had a river beneath it after the reconstruction lacked stone pitching to withstand heavy rainfall and erosion among other pressures.

 

This has caused its under and edges to be scooped and cut towards the middle of the road and the road being washed away, exposing the concrete bridge to severe damage.

 

If the bridge collapses as the rains set in, it would be the third time in the last 19 years.

 

Mr Edward Asekere, the Assemblyman for the Balungu Electoral Area told GNA that it was sad that resources that could have been used for other development projects were sunk into the rehabilitation of the bridge and yet it was all going to waste.

 

He said the people were afraid that if it was not attended to immediately, it would collapse and cut them off from accessing economic activities, education and healthcare in the district capital, Bongo.

 

“I called the contractor and he told me that he has not been paid for the money that he mobilised and came and started the work and said he was supposed to do stone pitching but he has not been paid,” he revealed.

 

He said the residents were worried about the issue and called on the government to pay the contractor to return to site to do quality work to prevent it from collapsing and causing financial loss to the state.

 

When GNA contacted Ms Rita Atanga, the Bongo District Chief Executive, she said the road was key to the development of the district and steps had been taken to engage the contractor to find out why he had abandoned site.

 

The Bongo-Balungu Bridge sits on the eight-kilometer stretch of road from Bongo, the district capital, to Namoo, Ghana’s border to neighbouring Burkina Faso and was constructed in 2003.

 

The major link road was not rehabilitated for a long time and deteriorated, causing accidents, loss of lives and property.

 

In the early part of 2017, the bridge caved in and totally collapsed making it a death trap especially anytime it rained.

 

The road also links several major communities including Balungu, Lungu, Sambolgo, Nayorigo, Namoo, Kansoe, Zorko to the district and serves as the main route of the people to access health care at the district hospital, education and engage in economic activities and vice versa.

 

These communities were cut off making people to use alternative routes including the Feo-Soe road or Vea-Gowrie road which are longer distances from the district capital.

 

As a result of the unbearable condition, residents and other opinion leaders in the district particularly from the Balungu and its adjoining communities undertook several demonstrations and appealed to government to fix the road, particularly the bridge.

 

In July, 2018, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut sod for the construction of the of the Bongo-Balungu-Namoo road including the Bongo-Balungu bridge and other bridges within the Bongo District.

 

The contract was awarded to DAMIT Enterprise and was expected to be completed in 2019 but has since been abandoned.

 

Source: Ghana News Agency

 

Three Ghanaian boxing medal hopefuls, Shakul Samed, Abdul Wahid Omar, and female Ornella Sathoud will begin their Commonwealth Games bow on Friday, July 29, 2022, at the NEC Games Village.

 

Light heavyweight boxer Samed will face Mauritius’ Luc Jean Rosalba in a Round of 32 tie while 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Omar faces Jamie Devine of Isle of Man in a light welterweight clash in a Round of 32 contest.

 

Ornella on the other hand will slug it out with Kerry Davis of England in a women’s middleweight contest at the Round of 16 stage.

 

Reacting to the draw, Kwasi Ofori Asare, trainer of the national amateur boxing team, said he was pleased with the pairings and expected his team to sail through to the next phase of the competition.

 

Coach Asare explained that the team were in good shape to face any opponent that comes their way.

 

“It is not going to be easy but I am pleased with the pairings because the team is in good shape ahead of the tournament,” Coach Asare told Graphic Online.

 

“The three fighters opening the competition are well-prepared and waiting to give a good account of themselves on Friday.”

 

Meanwhile, middleweight Abubakar Quartey will face Nigeria’s Adeyinka Benson in a Round of 16 tie on July 31 with 2018 bronze medalist Jessie Lartey against Englishman Harris Akbar Mohammed in a light middleweight tie on August 2.

 

Welterweight Alfred Kotey to slug it out with Rohit Tokas of Indonesia on August 2 and Joseph Commey to engage Betero Aaree of Kiribati on July 30.

 

At bantamweight, Abraham Mensah will fight the winner of Kenya’s Hassan Shaffi Bakari and Rukmal Prasanna of Sri Lanka in a Round of 16 clash on August 2.

 

Samuel Yaw Addo is scheduled to face Paiva Clepson Antonio Dos Santos of Northern Ireland in a flyweight contest on August 1.

 

Source: Modern Ghana

SuperSport viewers on DStv can look forward to the English season’s traditional season-opening fixture, the FA Community Shield, which sees FA Cup champions Liverpool face Premier League champions Manchester City at the King Power Stadium in Leicester on the evening of Saturday 30 July.

 

DStv is the only true home of football in Africa, offering a range and depth of action that no other rival can match – it’s literally ‘Unbeatable Football’! If you’re going to spend your money on something, it may as well be on the best football in the world.

 

This clash is being held in Leicester due to the ongoing UEFA Women’s European Championships (for which Wembley Stadium is a key venue) and sees the Reds and the Citizens renew their rivalry. The clubs have dominated English football in recent years and will be expected to do so again in the 2022-23 season.

 

Liverpool have lost Senegalese marksman Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich, but have boosted their squad with the additions of Fabio Carvalho and Darwin Nunez, while the big arrival on Man City’s side is of course striker Erling Haaland, but they have also cannily snapped up Calvin Phillips from Leeds United.

 

“It’s important we all recognise we are getting a work in progress with Darwin,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. “He recognises that himself, for sure. I love how much focus and humility he has. We have wonderful attacking options already and he becomes part of that now. So there is no pressure on him at all.”

 

Man City’s Phillips said, “City have again proved to be the best team in the country with an amazing squad and a manager in Pep Guardiola who is rightly considered to be the finest in the world. To be able to play under Pep and learn from him and his coaching staff as well as be part of such a fantastic squad is a prospect that I am incredibly excited about.”

 

• Key players

Mohamed Salah – The Egyptian recently signed a new contract extension at Liverpool and has committed himself to taking the Reds back to the top of the English game. This match presents him and the team with the chance to lay down a marker for the upcoming season.

 

Kevin De Bruyne – The Belgian playmaker enjoyed another brilliant campaign last term and will be looking to lead Man City to yet more glory in the new season. This clash against Liverpool is one in which De Bruyne will look to use his unrivalled range of passing and shooting to full effect.

 

• Head-to-head stats

In head-to-head stats, Liverpool and Man City have met in 220 matches across all competitions since their first clash back in 1893. The Reds have claimed 106 wins compared to 58 for the Citizens, while 56 games have been drawn.

 

The teams met three times last season: both Premier League matches ended in 2-2 draws, while Liverpool claimed a 3-2 win in the FA Cup semifinal played at Wembley Stadium in mid-April, with goals from Ibrahima Konate and Sadio Mane (two).

 

• Battles to watch

Jurgen Klopp v Pep Guardiola – These two managers have enormous respect for each other, but the rivalry burns bright. Klopp will hope his team’s intensity dominates, while Guardiola’s nous and perceptive approach could give City a tactical edge.

 

Virgil van Dijk v Erling Haaland – A heavyweight clash of arguably the best defender in the world against the most exciting striker to arrive in the Premier League for many a year. VVD will hope to assert his authority from early on, but Haaland won’t give an inch as he looks to impress on debut.

 

Andy Robertson v Riyad Mahrez – A key battle out on the flank will see Mahrez looking to cut inside from the right to use his left foot, but Robertson is a determined competitor who will offer his own hard-running threat when Liverpool have possession.

 

No rival can compete with SuperSport’s coverage. Our viewers on DStv enjoy an unrivalled selection of football from around the world!

 

Don’t miss the New Football Season on SuperSport on DStv. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on the DStv App.

 

Source: Modern Ghana

Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association [GFA], Henry Asante Twum has said his outfit is close to securing a title sponsor for the country’s top flight football league.

 

Ghana’s topflight has been without a headline sponsor for three years after a five-year, $10 million contract signed in 2018 between the Football Association and Zylofon Cash expired prematurely due to the financial institution’s dissolution.

 

It has category sponsors, including NASCO, which takes charge of the man of the match and monthly awards.

 

However, the Kurt Okraku-led administration has come under intense pressure to find a title sponsor for the league, and according to Twum, they are very close.

 

“The Ghana Football Association is close to securing a headline sponsor for the Ghana Premier League,” he told Accra-based Onua FM.

 

“We will sign the contract in the coming days and reveal them before the start of the new season in September,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, the 2022/23 football season has been scheduled to kick off in September last this year.

 

 

 

Source: Modern Ghana

Qualifying matches for the Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] which were scheduled for September have been pushed back to March next year to help the continent’s teams prepare for the World Cup in Qatar.

 

The decision to delay the qualifiers was eased when the finals, originally scheduled to be held in June and July next year in Ivory Coast, were postponed to January-February 2024 in a bid to avoid the rainy season.

 

“The postponement of the Cup of Nations offered an opportunity to reschedule the remaining qualifying matches,” a document addressed to the members of the executive committee of the CAF said.

 

“It also makes it possible to open the dates in September to international friendly matches for preparation for the World Cup.”

 

Senegal, who won the 2022 Cup of Nations in February, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Tunisia have qualified for the World Cup to be staged in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December.

 

The third and fourth rounds of qualifying for the 2024 Cup of Nations will take place in March 2023, match days five and six will be held in June with the sixth day set for September.

 

The first two rounds were completed in June this year.

 

Source: Modern Ghana

Sudanese champions, Al Hilal have expressed their interest in signing Asante Kotoko duo, Imoro Ibrahim and Georges Mfegue, according to reports in the local media.

 

The duo played a vital role as the Porcupine Warriors annexed the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League title.

 

Mfegue, in his first season with the club, scored eight goals and assisted five times.

 

He emerged as the club’s second top scorer of the Porcupines after Etouga who netted 21 goals.

 

The 24-year-old’s performance since joining the Porcupines has been a thing to contest for by several clubs across Africa and Europe.

 

Imoro, 22, also enjoyed a roller-coaster campaign for the Porcupines, scoring two goals and providing eight assists in 27 appearances for the most successful Ghanaian club.

 

The former Karela United left-back is currently in the camp of the Black Galaxies for their qualifiers of the CHAN.

 

According to the reports, Al Hilal have already sent their offer for the duo to the club and are currently on the negotiations table. Hilal are also believed to be in talks with coach Prosper Ogum for a potential move.

 

Meanwhile, Asante Kotoko will represent the country in the 2022/23 CAF Champions League.

 

Source: Modern Ghana