Day: March 3, 2024

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Rainstorm destroys VIP stands of Sunyani Coronation Park


A powerful rainstorm that struck Saturday evening has caused significant damage to the roofing of the VIP stands and other sections of the Sunyani Coronation Park.

The most affected areas were the left and right wings of the VIP stands, portions of the Jubilee stand, and the DKM stand.

The rainstorm began around 17:15 hours Saturday evening and lasted until 18:30 hours.

According to an eyewitness, Mr Francis Ankamah Wanney, Secretary of the Bono Ahafo Regional Football Association, the rain started shortly after an FA Cup round of 16 match between Sunyani Prisons Ladies and Kumasi Sports Academy at the Park.

He said portions of the roofing of the left wing of the VIP stands collapsed onto a Northern Electricity Development Company (NEDCo) light pole at the Park, near the RFA office, causing a blackout in the area.

Additionally, the falling roof from the right wing of the VIP stands narrowly missed hitting the bus of Kumasi Sports Academy as it landed at the front of the bus.

In a related interview, Mr.
Foster Kwame Opoku Boakye, the Bono Regional Director of the National Sports Authority, emphasized the urgent need for action to address the damage.

He requested for assistance for roofing sheets, lumber, nails, and other assistance to repair the roof and replace displaced seats.

Mr. Boakye also appealed for support to facilitate the re-roofing of the Park, as much of the roofing had been in place for many years.

The Coronation Park, with a capacity of approximately 6,000, is a popular venue for hosting various sporting events, including Premier League and National Division One league matches, inter-school competitions, and serves as a symbol of community pride for the people of the Bono Region.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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UG Stadium: Dr Bawumia commends former President Kufuor for birthing it


Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has paid glowing tribute to former President John Agyekum Kufuor for starting the construction of the University of Ghana Stadium, which was commissioned on Friday, March 1, 2024.

The Kufuor-led Government began the project in 2007, but after leaving office, successive governments abandoned it for eight years.

As part of plans to host the 13th African Games in Ghana, the Akufo-Addo-led Government resumed construction works, and expanded it into a standard, multi-purpose facility with mundo and standard warm up athletics tracks.

At the commissioning of the stadium in Accra, Vice President Bawumia acknowledged the immense contribution of President Kufuor’s Government and other stakeholders towards the development of the stadium.

‘I am particularly excited about the completion of the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, with added facilities, due to its chequered history,’ he said,

‘As we all know, the construction of this stadium started under the Government of His Excelle
ncy President J. A. Kufuor over 15 years ago.’

‘However, the construction of this stadium was completely abandoned by successive governments, until our government assumed office and decided to resume construction and the result is the beautiful edifice we are commissioning.”I would like to thank former President Kufuor, for his vision to build a stadium for University of Ghana, the GETFUND for providing the initial funding, and to all those who have played various roles to ensure the completion of the stadium.’Dr Bawumia said as the University of Ghana celebrated its landmark 75th Anniversary, there could not have been a more fitting monument for the Anniversary.

‘This has come at the right time; to host the African Games and also as a befitting legacy to the University and its community,’ he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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13th African Games: Ghana welcomes Africa for three-week sports fiesta


After five years of preparation, Ghana is ready to host the biggest sporting event on the African continent, with over 49 countries participating in the highly anticipated 13th African Games.

It is an historic games for Ghana as they host the games for the first time since its inception in 1965, having built modern, state-of-the-art sporting facilities.

The theme for the games, ‘Experience the African Dream,’ would celebrate the vast sporting talents on the continent as they converge in Accra to make history for themselves and countries.

Ghana would have the opportunity to showcase its diverse culture to the rest of the world during the opening ceremony set for Friday, March 8, 2024, with an anticipated two billion TV and online viewers during the three-week event.

Over 13,000 elite athletes from all over Africa would be competing for honours, while others would also be hoping to pick spots for this year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

Games Schedule

Following the arrival of some nations in Accra over the pas
t few days, some preliminary qualifying events are expected to get underway. on Monday, March 4, 2024.

Sports disciplines like badminton, handball, and table tennis would get the prelims underway on Monday, March 4, 2024.

The first medals would be up for grabs on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in the badminton and table tennis events.

Athletics would kick off on Monday, March 18, 2024, with a total of 174 medals up for grabs in both the men’s and women’s track and field events.

The first swimming competition will take place on Saturday, March 8, 2024, while boxing will kick off on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Cycling will also kick off on Saturday, March 9, 2024, on the Ablekuma Pokuase Highway, with a total of 78 medals up for grabs from participating countries.

The Hana Hathramani Hall at the Accra Sports Stadium will host the wrestling event, while the competition venue for triathlon will be the Labadi Beach Resort.

Sports disciplines and host stadiums

A total of 30 sporting disciplines will feature at the 13t
h African Games, with seven Olympic qualifying sporting disciplines, 16 non-Olympic qualifiers, and seven demonstration sports.

The newly constructed Borteyman Sports Complex will host some games, including badminton, handball, and tennis.

The world class aquatic centre at Borteyman Sports Complex would also host swimming events and some non-Olympic qualifying games, including Taekwando, Karate-do, Judo, Handball and fencing.

The newly commissioned University of Ghana Sports Stadium, which will host the opening ceremony of the games, will host all track and field events.

The Accra Sports Stadium and the University of Ghana Sports Stadium will host the men’s football, while the women’s competition will be played at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium and the Paa Kwesi Ndoum Sports Complex.

The Achimota Oval will host the cricket events, while Cyling, which is an Olympic qualifier, will be hosted in Olebu and Ablekuma in Accra.

The Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium will host 10 countries for both the men’s and wome
n’s hockey events, with participating countries including South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, and Zimbabwe, among others.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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GPL Wk19: Hearts secure comeback win over Nsoatreman, Kotoko pip Gold Stars


Accra Hearts of Oak continued their blistering start to the second round after beating Nsoatreman FC 2-1 at Nana Amoah Koronmansah Park.

Kassim Cisse and Salifu Ibrahim were on target for the Phobians as they recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season under their new coach, Aboubakar Ouattara.

Hearts, with the three points, move into the 7th position on the league table with 27 points, while Nsoatreman FC, despite the loss, stay fourth on the table.

Kumasi Asante Kotoko, after last week’s defeat against Heart of Lions, bounced back to winning ways against Bibiani Gold Stars at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Friday.

Peter Amidu’s first half strike was enough to secure Kotoko all three points to help them move to within three points of league leaders Samartex 1996, who will play Nations FC tomorrow.

Great Olympics recorded back-to-back wins after beating Heart of Lions 2-0 at Sogakope Park.

Yusif Abdul Razak scored a brace for Great Olympics, as they secured all three points and moved into
the top half of the table with 27 points.

With Medeama and Dreams FC out of action due to their participation in Africa’s club competitions, the Premier League continues tomorrow with leaders Samartex 1996 taking on Nations FC, while bottom-placed Real Tamale United will face Bofoakwa Tano.

Some results of week 19:

Berekum Chelsea 3-0 Karela United

Legon Cities 0-0 Accra Lions FC

Nsoatreman FC 1-2 Hearts of Oak

Great Olympics 2-0 Heart of Lions

Asante Kotoko 1-0 Bibiani Gold Stars FC

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Championing air quality for all is key priority for US- Ms Littlejohn


Ms Jennifer R. Littlejohn, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, US, says ensuring air quality for all especially vulnerable groups is one of the key priorities of US’s environmental programmes.

As part of the strategies, the US, she stated was supporting Ghana through the University of Ghana’s (UG) Afri-SET, an air quality sensor evaluation, calibration, testing and training centre.

Speaking at a seminar during her visit to UG, Ms Littlejohn said the US was committed to further strengthening the evaluation centre and helping it to establish similar across the African continent.

She was conducted round the air pollution facility at UG to familiarised herself with the operations.

She said such facilities would encourage creativity among scientists to develop low-cost sensors to contribute to the collection of real time air quality data to inform decision makers and for the ordinary person to make informed decisions.

Ms Littlejohn said it wou
ld also foster effective and efficient collaboration and knowledge-sharing to address pressing public health issues.

‘ When it comes to air quality, knowledge is power. By making data widely available, we empower local communities to understand, act on air quality and use the data to advocate for policy changes to improve air quality,’ she said.

The Environmental Diplomat stated that air pollution was not just something that irritated the eyes and the throat -but a killer, which Ghana and the rest of Africa needed to address.

The facility has started running training for experts as part of its larger objective to increase regional capacity and cooperation on air quality, as well as forming a community of practice for scientists, health experts, and governments throughout the region.

In the area of clean cooking, the US has built the capacity of officials of the cookstove laboratory at the Institute of Industrial Research of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, (IIR-CSIR) to play its role to
wards improving air quality.

It was done through the Round Robin Testing Programme, an initiative supported by the United States of America’s Environmental Protection Agency and United Nations Foundation’s Clean Cooking Alliance.

The laboratory is well positioned to support Ghana and the continent to contribute to meeting climate action plans of reducing emissions from traditional cookstoves.

More than six out of ten homes in Ghana for instance cook using traditional cookstoves, which generate soot, which harm users especially women, and deteriorate the quality of air.

Although the Centre has existed for over 13 years, recent capacity building and International Organisation for Standardisation accreditation has enhanced its operation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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President must sign anti-LGBTQ bill quickly – Rev. Dr Opuni Frimpong


The Reverend Dr Opuni Frimpong, a former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, has added his voice to calls on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to assent the newly-passed anti-LGBTQ bill ‘as soon as possible’.

Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM on Saturday, he said the matter was of ‘national concern and must attract a national response from the President.’

Parliament on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, passed the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill (anti-LGBTQ bill) after the third reading.

The bill, when signed by the President, will among other things, prohibit lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) and related activities.

It also places a jail term of up to five years on convicts.

Rev Opuni said just as the country’s forebears fought for independence, the Parliament of Ghana deemed it appropriate to protect family values with the passage of the bill, which coincided with the commemoration of the 28th February Crossroad shooting.

He said the bill had gon
e through various stages of consultations, discussions and debates, therefore, the President should not ‘break the cycle’.

‘All that we are asking the President is that he must assent to the bill as early as possible so that we celebrate 28th February both in Parliament and from the office of the President also.’

He said Ghana must not condone LGBTQ+ practices although it had been accepted in other nations.

He said the Church was not ‘a gathering of saints’ however; the quest to take a stand on LGBTQ emerged when other nations sought to ‘impose’ the practice, contrary to accepted social norms in Ghana.

‘We are not running away from the fact that all manner of sexual practices prevail in our country and in our churches, but if you ask us to make it part of our cultural norms, that is what we are taking about,’ he said.

Rev Opuni said President Akufo-Addo must not delay approval of the bill as there may be other partisan interpretations to the postponement.

‘At the moment, we have those who want to go to
court; that is part of our democratic right, but that should not stop us from working towards what we know would be helpful for us today and generations unborn,’ he emphasised.

Some opponents of the bill argued that it was against human rights, saying individuals should not serve prison terms for their sexuality.

Rev Opuni, responding to the sanctions the bill sought to impose, said specific clauses of the bill and other punishment modalities should be addressed by lawyers.

‘…We are saying that this is a national concern and the President must give it a national response as early as possible…We still plead with those who have ears of the President that he must move fast and sign so the process can continue; those who want to go to court can still go,’ he stressed.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Martha Inspires Foundation fetes vulnerable groups


Martha Inspires Foundation, a non-governmental organisation in Tamale, has feted about 250 vulnerable members of society to appreciate their resilience in contributing to community development.

The beneficiaries, including widows, single and expectant mothers, the aged and mothers of twins were served hot meals, assorted drinks, and pastries.

Some of them took home new and used clothes including pairs of sandals/shoes, bags, mini bags of rice, canned tomatoes, cooking oil, and detergents.

Health professionals were present to counsel them on pregnancy care, childbirth, family planning and general well-being of the aged.

The event was supported by the Universal Merchant Bank and other partners.

Miss Martha Anabila, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Martha Inspires Foundation, said it formed part of the organisation’s commitment to supporting the less endowed in society.

Most of the women had played significant roles in the development of their communities and families, she said, hence the importanc
e to show them love for their selflessness, sacrifice and resilience.

‘We don’t need any International Women’s Day or mothers’ day to celebrate women. They must be celebrated at every given opportunity because they deserve it,’ she said.

Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, the Executive Director, Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency – Ghana, said it was important for vulnerable groups to take advantage of every available opportunity to be productive and learn to support themselves.

‘Being widowed does not mean you cannot contribute meaningfully to support your family or community.’

She encouraged the beneficiaries to acquire employable skills to make some income to meet their basic needs.

Mr Adams Kadiri, the Assembly Member, Katariga Electoral Area in the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region, commended the NGO and partners for their consistent show of love to vulnerable groups in the area.

Source: Ghana News Agency