28/8/2024 President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has commissioned a new artificial football pitch at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram. The pitch, which was funded by BetPawa forms part of the agenda to establish a 3,000-capacity stadium at the sports facility by the nation’s football governing body, GFA. The commissioning of the pitch marks the completion of phase one of the project. The event also preceded the 30th Congress of the football administration body. According to Mr. Simeon-Okraku, the construction of the modern astro turf indicates the association’s commitment to enhance facilities for the development of sports in Ghana. He emphasised that the pitch is a significant step in unearthing and nurturing football talents for world competitive games.

By: The New Diplomat Kenya’s President William Ruto has announced the nomination of 10 notable figures as he continues to form his new cabinet. The President also nominated four senior ranking members of the opposition party for appointment into his cabinet which he regarded as a “new broad-based government”. This is coming after a countrywide protests that have disrupted economic activities in Kenya. Among the opposition nominated for appointment into cabinet members are John Mbadi, who was named to the treasury portfolio, James Opiyo Wandayi for energy, Ali Joho to the mining ministry and and Wycliffe Oparanya as head of the cooperatives ministry. The nominees are allies of opposition leader Raila Odinga, whom Ruto defeated in the 2022 election. The nominations are subject to approval by

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former vice president Atiku Abubakar have expressed their divergent views over the planned nationwide protests by some groups in the country. While Atiku flayed what he described as the ‘desperate attempt’ to stifle people’s right by the very Leaders of the 2012 protests against the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, President Tinubu on the other hand, is pleading with Nigerians shelve the planned protests against bad governance in the country. The planned nationwide protests against economic hardship, hunger and spiral inflation amongst others which is trending on the social media, are been scheduled to commence across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, from August 1 to 15, 2024. The

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma An airplane has crashed in Nepal, claiming the lives of 18 people. The airplane on the fleet of Nepal’s Saurya Airlines caught fire after skidding off the runway while taking off at Tribhuvan International Airport in the country’s capital, Kathmandu, on Wednesday. Officials said the affected plane, carrying two crew members and 17 technicians, was going for regular maintenance to Nepal’s new Pokhara airport, which opened last January. “Only the captain was rescued alive and is receiving treatment at a hospital,” the spokesman for Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, Tej Bahadur Poudyal, explained. Visuals have shown the plane flying a little above the runway and then tilting before it crashed. Nepal has a poor air safety record; a country often referred to as

A human rights lawyer Femi Falana has cautioned the Federal Government against threatening the organizers of a planned nationwide protest over the harsh economic climate in the country. Social media has been rife with hashtags about the protest which is billed to happen next month. While the Federal Government and security agencies have cautioned against the demonstrations, Falana says threats won’t aid the shelving of the protest. “How do you identify those who are issuing statements; those who are planning the protest, and then engage with them productively?” Falana asked on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today. “But threats do not work. In fact, on some occasions, the desperation of the government also has a way of popularizing such protests.” ‘Engage Them’President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday

By: Emmanuel Nkansah Abankwah In a significant move to stabilise Ghana’s economy and restore investor confidence, the government has paid GHS12 billion to bondholders under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme. This announcement was made by Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam during the mid-year budget review presented to Parliament on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. Dr. Amin Adam stressed the government’s dedication to fulfilling its financial obligations and ensuring economic stability. “The payment of GHS12 billion to bondholders marks a critical step in our efforts to restore confidence in the financial markets and stabilise the economy. This payment is a testament to our commitment to fiscal discipline and prudent financial management,” stated Dr. Amin Adam. The Finance Minister detailed how this payment aligns with

By: Emmanuel Nkansah Abankwah Appeals by President Akufo-Addo for the Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) to rescind its decision not to vote on December 7 may have fallen on deaf ears, as the church maintains its stance. In a statement, the Church acknowledged the civic responsibility of voting for all Ghanaians but emphasised that December 7, which falls on a Saturday, conflicts with their religious duties. The Church urged the Electoral Commission (EC) and other stakeholders to consider changing the election date, stating that voting on a Saturday does not align with their beliefs. “The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ghana recognises the civic responsibility of its members to participate in the democratic process, including exercising their right to vote. However, we wish to reiterate

By: Emmanuel Nkansah Abankwah Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the member of parliament for North Tongu, has been served notice that he will be appealing the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) today, Monday, July 22, to look into an alleged dubious $34.9 million (GH₵538 million) ambulance spare parts procurement deal. Accompanied by documentary proof of the transaction, Mr. Ablakwa revealed the information in a Facebook post on Monday, July 22. He is accusing former Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta of working together with a private company to defraud the government. Five days prior to his dismissal, he claims the Finance Minister hastily authorised the agreement. He said that the beneficiary firm, Service Ghana Auto Group Limited, was doubtfully able to