Home Blog Page 1122

Today’s English League Cup Fixtures & Previews

By
admin
-
0
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City

Spursaim to end 16-yr trophy drought as they welcome City 

Aiming to end their 16-year trophy drought, Tottenham Hotspur will welcome English champions Manchester City to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for an EFL Cup fourth-round clash on Wednesday night.

Tottenham will be looking to bounce back following a loss at Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Following back-to-back wins in North London over West Ham United and AZ Alkmaar since the return of club football after the international break, Tottenham’s early-season inconsistency reared its ugly head once again on Sunday afternoon, when the Lilywhites handed Crystal Palace their maiden win of the campaign.

Despite facing English and European powerhouses Manchester City in a last-16 tie, this competition arguably represents the best chance for Spurs to lift their first piece of major silverware since the EFL Cup final triumph of 2008.

Since the 1-1 draw at St James’ Park on September 28, Manchester City have enjoyed a flawless October schedule, winning five straight contests across the Premier League and Champions League, including a one-goal success over relegation-threatened Southampton at the Etihad on the weekend.

With Manchester City set to include a number of academy players in their squad, Tottenham will sense the opportunity to book their spot in the quarter-finals on Wednesday night.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Pep Guardiola, Manchester City

Newcastle, Chelsea lock horns at St James’ Park

Three days after their Stamford Bridge showdown, Newcastle United and Chelsea will lock horns at St James’ Park as they fight for a place in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea

Newcastle will be striving to build some momentum, following a worrying start to the campaign, whilst the Blues are aiming to continue their excellent early-season form by the way of a fourth-round success in this competition.

Newcastle are now in the midst of a five-game winless streak on English football’s top table, concerning form that was worsened by a narrow defeat to the Blues at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

Last lifting a major trophy in 1955, Saudi-backed Newcastle will view the EFL Cup as an excellent opportunity to end their silverware drought, with Wednesday’s hosts failing to win this competition in the past despite making final appearances in the 1975-76 and 2022-23 seasons.

After losing 2-1 to title challengers Liverpool at Anfield earlier in the month, Chelsea have returned to winning ways in both the Conference League and on the domestic scene.

As shown during the early stages of their Conference League campaign, Chelsea have an embarrassment of riches in attacking areas and should have enough quality to squeeze past the Magpies and into the quarter-finals.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea

Brighton and Liverpool Kick off double-header

Kicking off a double-header of head-to-heads, Brighton and Liverpool clash in the fourth round of the EFL Cup at the Amex on Wednesday evening, a few days before also crossing paths in the Premier League.

The Reds got the defence of their crown off to a flying start with a 5-1 crushing of West Ham United in round three, while Brighton edged a five-goal thriller with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Arne Slot, Liverpool

Liverpool’s 100% away record under coach Arne Slotcame to an end on Sunday evening, although their gripping 2-2 Premier League draw with Arsenal – where they came back from a goal down twice to steal a share of the spoils – should have had the feeling of one point gained rather than two dropped.

Brighton have an EFL Cup monkey to get off their back this week, as they have been beaten in each of their last five fourth-round games in the tournament – including three in a row from 2020-21 to 2022-23 – and have not been past this point since reaching the 1978-79 quarter-finals.

The hosts’ applaudable Amex record against Liverpool may stand them in good stead, though, as they have avoided defeat in each of their last three home matches versus the.

The Reds have become away-day specialists during Slot’s short time at the helm and should remain on course for back-to-back EFL Cup trophy lifts, even if any victory on Wednesday is not as emphatic as the travelling faithful might wish for.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Arne Slot, Liverpool

 

Man United host Leicester after sacking Erik ten Hag

For the first time since the sacking of Erik ten Hag, Manchester United will take to the field as they welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford for an EFL Cup fourth-round clash on Wednesday night.

The Red Devils are looking to build some momentum following a loss at West Ham United on Sunday, whilst the Foxes will be ready for much-needed respite from a relegation fight in the Premier League.

Marus Rashord, Manchester United

After over two years in charge at the Theatre of Dreams, Ten Hag’s era as manager of Manchester United has come to an end, with the Dutchman’s time on the red side of the city characterised by domestic cup joy intertwined with serious struggles on the Premier League and continental stage.

Manchester United have significantly stuttered during the opening months of the current season, winning just three of their first nine matches at English football’s top table.

Man United has arguably failed to showcase a clear identity, leaving the club’s hierarchy no choice but to pursue coaching change.

Former Red Devils bagsman Ruud Van Nistelrooy will take interim charge of Man United until a permanent successor is appointed.

Interim boss Van Nistelrooy will be desperate to impress his employers as Man United face Leicester.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Marus Rashord, Manchester United

Last 16 Fixtures

Brighton & Hove Albion 19:30 Liverpool 

Aston Villa 19:45 Crystal Palace 

Manchester United 19:45 Leicester City 

Newcastle United 19:45Chelsea 

Preston North End 19:45 Arsenal 

Tottenham Hotspur 20:15 Manchester City 

 

Mining firms urged to ensure safety of workers

By
admin
-
0
Sulemamu Koney, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines

Mr Sulemamu Koney, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, has urged mining firms to put in place appropriate measures to ensure the safety of their workers on site.

He said given the nature of work and environment in which miners operated, it was vital for the firms to implement safety protocols to enhance workers’ preparedness and response to emergencies.

He said this at the Annual Inter-Mines First Aid and Safety Competition, held at the premises of Asante Gold Chirano, under the theme: “Safety! Our Collective Responsibility.”

The event was attended by representatives from Asante Gold Chirano Limited, Golden Star, AngloGold Ashanti-Iduapriem Mine and Perseus Mining.

Mr Koney said available data had shown that there was an upsurge in the incidence of injuries in Ghana’s mining industry in 2023 as compared to 2022.

“All classes of reportable injuries increased year-on-year, except near misses and serious injuries,” he added.

He noted that the frequency of near-miss incidents declined from 325 in 2022 to 254 in 2023, translating into a downturn of 21.8 per cent, while the number of first aid injuries increased from 156 in 2022 to 162 in 2023.

To this end, Mr Koney charged industry players to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for their staff, adding that the Chamber would continue to involve community members, especially women, in safety competitions to align with their safety goals and culture.

He said: “As we gather here, we must remind ourselves that accidents and emergencies can happen at any time, and at any place, so being prepared can make the difference between life and death.

“This competition is meant to improve our knowledge in first aid by demonstrating practical measures to save lives and mitigate injuries during accidents.”

Okogyeman Kwaku Gyamprah III, Paramount Chief of Chirano Traditional Area, said first aid was an essential skill that empowered individuals to act with confidence in emergencies, “knowing very well that it is about being aware of the small steps you take in critical moments that can prevent bigger tragedies.”

He lauded the Ghana Chamber of Mines and the St John Ambulance for the initiative saying, such events reinforced the strong bonds between mining companies and their host communities.

“When the community and industry work hand in hand, safety becomes a shared value that benefits everyone,” he said.

By Alex Baah Boadi

GNA

Venus Oil Company MD jailed for GH¢10.6 Million Tax Debt

By
BERNICE BESSEY
-
0
Venus Oil Company

Mohammed Lamin, Managing Director of Venus Oil Company Limited, has been sentenced to one month in prison for failing to pay taxes and levies amounting to GH¢10,694,051.86.

The judgement was delivered on Monday by Justice Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame at the Accra High Court’s Criminal Division, after a full three-year trial.

Mohammed Lamin was found guilty of violating Section 80 of the Revenue Administration Act, 2016 (Act 915), for his failure to remit various taxes and levies to the state.

The charges stemmed from unpaid Special Petroleum Tax, Energy Debt Recovery Levy, Road Fund Levy and Energy Fund Levy on petroleum products lifted by Venus Oil Company Limited, a leading distributor and retailer of petroleum products in the Greater Accra Region.

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), which brought the complaint against Lamin and his company, conducted a review of Venus Oil’s tax records.

This review revealed that the company had defaulted on its tax obligations, with the unpaid taxes dating back to September 2021.

Demand notices were issued to Lamin and Venus Oil Company to prompt settlement of the outstanding debts, but these went unheeded, leading the GRA to initiate legal proceedings.

Joseph B. A. E. Counsel for the Authority, after the judgement, told the media that he is satisfied with the decision of the court.

Striking workers ask Finance Minister to pay withheld salaries 

By
admin
-
0
Minister of Finance, Wale Edun

Two striking university unions in Nigeria have asked the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to pay their four months’ withheld salaries, following an approval of the payment by President Bola Tinubu.

The striking unions ruled out the possibility of any meeting or negotiation with the Federal Government, insisting that the Ministry of Finance “do the needful” and remit their withheld salaries electronically to all their members.

“The President has given the approval, the Ministry of Education has conveyed the approval. It is within the precinct of the Ministry of Finance. So, the Minister of Finance should just do the needful. That’s all,” SSANU President, Muhammed Ibrahim said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Tuesday.

On Monday, members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) commenced an indefinite nationwide strike within campuses of public universities to demand the immediate release of their four months’ withheld salaries.

The two unions said it was appalling that despite several ultimatums issued to the government, no positive result has come from the government.

The two unions directed their members in all public universities and inter-university centres throughout the country to “hold a joint congress in their respective campuses on Monday, October 28, 2024, and proceed on an indefinite, comprehensive and total strike action as no concession should be given in any guise”.

Public universities across the nation were shut down and nothing moved administratively within public varsities in Nigeria as hostels and varsity gates were locked up and electricity supply was cut off by disgruntled non-academic staff.

Credit: channelstv.com

House Ethics Committee probes lawmaker over assault on cab driver

By
admin
-
0
Alex Ikwechegh, lawmaker

Alex Ikwechegh, the lawmaker caught on camera assaulting a cab driver, has been referred to the House Ethic Committee for investigation.

The resolution was a sequel to a point of order raised by the Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, on Tuesday.

In a viral video that trended on social media, the lawmaker was seen assaulting Stephen Abuwatseya, a Bolt rider.

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command said it has arrested the lawmaker for assaulting a driver and is undergoing questioning”.

Ikwechegh is now facing scrutiny from his peers in the House.He may also be suspended, if indicted after the investigation.

Meanwhile, Alex Ikwechegh, has tendered a public apology for assaulting a Bolt driver Stephen Abuwatseya in the nation’s capital city Abuja.

In a statement on Tuesday, Ikwechegh regretted the “unfortunate” incident which does “not reflect the values and character I strive to uphold, both as a citizen and as a representative of the people”.

“I sincerely apologise for my words and actions during this incident. I recognize the distress and frustration this has caused Citizen Abuwatseya, his family, and the public at large. As a public servant, I understand the weight of my role and how my words can impact others.

“While I am human and not infallible, I remain accountable for my actions. Citizen Abuwatseya and I have explored alternative dispute resolution methods to address this issue and have reached a respectful resolution, which I am committed to following through.”

The lawmaker also apologised to the Inspector General of Police for his “unintended disparaging remarks”.

“Additionally, I extend my sincere apologies to the leadership and members of this House and the National Assembly as a whole for any deficit in goodwill this incident may have caused.”

Credit: dailypost.ng

Tinubu meets Dangote, Cardoso others at Presidential Villa

By
admin
-
0
Tinubu meets Dangote

President Bola Tinubu is meeting with members of the crude oil and refined products sales in the local currency implementation committee.

The committee was led by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, to the State House, Abuja for the meeting.

Those attending the meeting include the Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mr Mele Kyari; the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr Zacch Adedeji; and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso.

Also in attendance were the Authority’s Chief Executive, ACE of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mallam Farouk Ahmed; the Commission Chief Executive (CCE) of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr Gbenga Komolafe; as well as the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

The committee is scheduled to brief President Tinubu on the progress of the arrangement, which was improvised by the Tinubu administration to relieve foreign exchange pressure on the economy.

Recall that President Tinubu directed the NNPCL to commence sales of crude oil to Dangote Refinery and other local refiners on July 29 this year.

Credit: dailypost.ng

SECKO climaxes 73rd anniversary celebration

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
-
0
SECKO Headmistress Guddy Abena Kermah delvering her address

Sekondi College, popularly known as SECKO, held its speech and prize-giving day, climaxing the school’s 73rd anniversary ceremony at the weekend.

The anniversary was on the theme: ‘Seven Decades of Holistic Quality Education – Building the Past, Shaping the Future.’ The ceremony attracted both old students and dignitaries.

The Headmistress of the School, Mrs. Guddy Abena Kermah, mentioned the overwhelming support of the school alumni in general, for the 73rd anniversary celebration, singling out year groups like 1974, 1984, 1994 and the 2004.

She also singled out the founder and first headmaster of the school, J.W. Acquah.

SECKO was founded in 1951 with two students and three tutors. It currently has 2,933 students, made up of 1,032 boys and 1,901 girls, and a staff strength of 185.

SECKO, the Headmistress mentioned, currently runs six programmes, namely General Science, General Art, Visual Arts, Home Economics, Agricultural Science and Business.

All the programmes are heavily subscribed.

ACADEMICS

The WASSCE results, she mentioned, were analysed and the analysis made a baseline to demand improvement in performance in the next WASSCE.

As a result, the school is seeing improvement in its persistent use of this appraisal performance method.

The school had 100% pass in our 2023 WASSCE; 84% of 886 candidates had grades A1-C6. With respect to the core subjects, this translates as follows: Mathematics 84% (A1-C6); English Language 79% (A-C6); Social Studies 89% (A1-C6) and Integrated Science 87% (A1-C6).

To ensure continuous improvement in the academic performance, “we patronise any academic competition that seeks to enhance academic results. We won the Regional STEM Innovation Award in the mixed school category. Our participation in the National Mathematics and Science Quiz, which sees improvement over our previous performance, convinces us that we are on track to the ultimate prize.”

She continued, “If our determination is aided by the needed encouragement, prayer and financial support, we believe we can clinch the ultimate prize sooner rather than later.”

It is in the light of this that she expressed gratitude to the alumni for their science lab refurbishing project, which has seen the chemistry lab turned into a state-of-the-art chemistry lab and handed over to the school.

DISCIPLINE

With the school having a whopping 2,993 teenagers in their critical formative stage under its roof, for the greater part of the year, Headmistress Kermah indicated that “our pillar of strength is our insistence on our unique traditional code of discipline, which regards any breach of commonsense as a breach of school rule. We are proud to note that exemplary character is also a mark of our products in the world of life.”

She said the school’s agricultural activities and outputs, however, earned them best agricultural school in the Metropolis in 2023.

The produce from the school farms is used to supplement the feeding of students (fufu and groundnut soup, cabbage stew).

That apart, the school has been selected to participate in the second phase of the Ministry of Agriculture’s flagship programme: planting for food.

TASCO Tutor Wins Duker 2024 Overall Best Teacher Award …takes home a brand new Suzuki saloon car

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
-
0
Mireku Duker handing over a motorbike to an award winner

A tutor from Tarkwa Senior High School, Francis Archer, last Friday went home with a $14,000 brand new Suzuki saloon car, after emerging as the overall best teacher for the 2024 edition of the Duker Teachers and Health Workers Award.

Archer beats 21 other teachers for the prestigious prize.

The Duker Teacher and Health Workers Award was initiated by the Tarkwa Nsuaem Legislator, George Mireku Duker, three years ago.

The intent is to motivate and award hard-working teachers in the municipality.

This year’s edition saw the legislator introduce the maiden award for health workers in the municipality.

The overall best teacher saloon car prize

In all, 21 teachers were awarded from categories such as non-teaching staff, KG category, primary category, JHS category, SHS/TVET category, head teacher category and overall best teacher, amongst others.

Each of the categories had awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd winners.

On the health side, 16 awards were won from five categories, namely Hospital category, the Support Staff category, the Health Center category and the CHPS category amongst others.

The ceremony, which was on the theme: ‘Championing learning and wellness in our communities,’ also saw two lifetime awards presented to a retired educationist and a health practitioner.

Prizes such as motorbikes, refrigerators, chest freezers, TV sets and cash amounts, in some cases, were presented accordingly, per category.

The ceremony attracted manifold traditional leaders drawn from the municipality, as well as the Clergy, Assembly Members and other distinguished personalities.

For instance, Professor Mrs. Grace Ofori Sarpong Akuffo, the first woman professor in Metallurgical Engineering, chaired the awards ceremony.

Ohyeawora Bian Nwia Payin, chief of Dompim Pepessa, Nana Kobina Gyan, representatives of the Education Minister and Regional Education Director were present to grace the occasion.

Addressing the occasion, the initiator of the award and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa Nsuaem, George Mireku Duker, was elated to welcome the award winners to the third edition of the Duker Teachers’ and maiden edition of the Health Workers’ Awards ceremony.

He explained the awards were meant to honour, celebrate and motivate hard-working teachers, nurses, doctors and supporting staff.

“For three (3) years running, we have organised this event, running into millions of Ghana Cedis, with the support of benevolent institutions and companies, and the will of God.”

Emphasising the importance of education, MP Duker, who is also the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, indicated that education was the most impactful tool for changing the world.

He said he was of the firm belief that developing educational structures and potentials in Tarkwa-Nsuaem was not only about providing the necessary infrastructure and teaching and learning materials but also about taking into cognisance the welfare of the human resources that nurture children.

“I, therefore, reiterate my opinion that teachers are the fulcrum around which all discoveries and advancements of knowledge in all fields of endeavour revolve.”

He remarked that a teacher’s influence can last for a lifetime and hence, there was the need to support them in delivering the necessary training to the students.

As a teacher by profession, Duker, who has taught at various levels of the educational ladder, indicated that developing educational structures have been his top priority in changing the fortunes of the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.

Arguably, teachers, he mentioned, were minimally motivated, irrespective of the strenuous tasks they go through.

Some teachers and health workers practice in very remote areas that are not commutable by transportation, yet they continue to give their best.

Is it wrong for Elon Musk to offer voters $1m a day to get Trump elected? That’s a tough one

By
admin
-
0
Opinion

For a guy who has spent his entire life making “I am very rich” the keystone of his personal brand, there is something quite poignant about watching Donald Trump get financially cucked by Elon Musk on stage every night. Musk is much younger, much richer, and has had a much more successful series of hair transplants. But needs must, it seems.

As you might be aware, Musk has recently decided to update the tired dystopian fiction trope in which impoverished citizens are forced to compete in deadly game shows where the winner gets a life-changingly glittering prize, and the losers are killed for sport. In Elon’s rebooted version, the richest man in the world is giving struggling voters the chance to win a million dollars if they sign a “petition” in favour of free speech and the right to bear arms.

You get $47 just for signing up – $100 in Pennsylvania, for some reason! – and only registered voters can apply. As long as they leave their names – and addresses, for some reason! – they’re all good to enter the lottery pit. Also, it’s not fictional but real, and it’s happening in swing states every single day from now until the election in two weeks’ time.

On Saturday, Musk presented his first state-of-the-art cardboard cheque for $1m to a man at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. On Sunday, it was the turn of a woman at a town hall in Pittsburgh. On Monday, his Pac (political action committee) launched a drive against election interference, because hey – above all, he’s an ironist.

Like so many of the previous new lows of this campaign, once this tactic manifests itself you immediately find yourself thinking: of course. Of course, of course. Of course Musk, 53, would become a dark mirror version of MrBeast, and use the YouTube giveaway playbook to go viral in the election endgame. It’s at once completely shocking, and also an October not-even-a-surprise. Perhaps the only mirthless smile it can raise is when you consider the utter yesteryearing it represents for Hollywood.

It felt quaint even at the time, but do recall George Clooney spouting off last year about how indispensable Hollywood could be to political campaigns. “I always just say,” George just said, “look, everybody keeps coming into Hollywood for cash, and they don’t come to us for the one thing we do better than anybody, which is tell stories.” Mm. And yet here we are, with the dark stars of the election bypassing the gold-standard magic of a movie industry everyone can see is in crisis, and taking their inspo from YouTube, which isn’t.

Anyway, in scenes also some-way-past familiar: the old good-chap structures of political life are revealed as simply unable to cope with bad chaps who decline to play by the unwritten rules. In fact, even the written rules seem to be in doubt. Is Musk’s stunt legal? Those scrambling to respond to this question are once again falling back on the old “uncharted territory” descriptor. Alas, if you were hoping we could get a couple of cartographers out of bed for this one – like, yesterday? – then prepare for disappointment. What we have instead are leisurely headlines such as “Elon Musk’s pledge for daily $1 million giveaways draw legal questions”.

The Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro, opined on Monday of the giveaways that “I think it’s something that law enforcement could take a look at”. “Could take a look at”, questions being “drawn” – I can’t help feeling the vocabulary choices here indicate the sort of mid-tier to-do list priority that no doubt the relevant cops/jurisprudence professors will get around to solving in a few weeks’ time. No particular reason you’d want to rush this one. Is there?

In the meantime, seemingly nightly, we have the world’s richest man on stage in service of Donald Trump. Or will it turn out to be the other way round? Only time will show, but given Musk is being touted for some kind of anti-regulation role at the same time as his businesses are involved in multiple anti-regulation lawsuits … let’s just say this could go either way. In some ways, both parties could use a hand.

They say democracy dies in darkness, but it currently appears to be suffering serious breathing issues under full stage lights. In fact, watching Musk go all-out for Trump, it’s hard not to get ominous circle-of-life vibes, and feel like you’re watching the simultaneous live birth of an American oligarchy. There have been vested interests as long as there has been US politics, of course. But no robber baron of the Gilded Age was ever this relatively rich, or as artlessly open about what – and whom – a relatively tiny amount of money can buy.

By Marina Hyde

Source: theguardian.com

Editor’s note: Views expressed in this article do not represent that of The Chronicle

Editorial: Visa Restrictions: US Has Taken A Giant Step, What About Europe?

By
THE CHRONICLE
-
0
Editorial

The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Ghana and around the world. The Department of State is announcing a new visa restriction policy that will restrict U.S. visas for any individual responsible for undermining democracy in Ghana. This policy will take effect in advance of Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place December 7, 2024.

These are the exact words of Mr Anthony J. Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States of America, as published on the website of the US Department of State on October 28, 2024. According to Blinken,“this visa restriction policy would apply only to specific individuals who undermine democracy and is not directed at the Ghanaian people nor the Government of Ghana.

“Ghana has achieved three decades of democratic elections and the peaceful transfer of power between parties – a record to be proud of and a model to cherish. The United States’ readiness to impose visa restrictions if circumstances warrant is an example of our support for the aspirations of all Ghanaians for a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral process that reflects the will of the people.

“This visa restriction policy is pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and allows the Department of State to implement visa restrictions for individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Ghana, including through the manipulation or rigging of the electoral process; the use of violence to intimidate, coerce or prevent people from exercising their rights to freedoms of association and peaceful assembly; the use of measures designed to intimidate, coerce or prevent political party representatives, voters, or members of civil society or the media from voicing or disseminating their views; or engaging in any other activity designed to improperly influence the conduct or outcome of an election.

“Certain family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions. Persons who undermine democracy in Ghana — including in the lead-up to, during, and following Ghana’s 2024 elections may be found to be ineligible for visas under this policy.”

The Chronicle congratulates the Secretary of State and the US as a whole for this timely statement, which will obviously ensure peaceful elections in our motherland. The only World Super Power is telling all of us that she does not compromise on her principles of democracy.

It is trite knowledge that some of the politicians on the continent of Africa have the penchant of inciting violence, especially during crucial elections, and then run away to either the US or Europe, when the situation exacerbates. Some of these leaders or politicians have stolen so much that they can afford to stay outside their respective countries and enjoy their booty, after creating the internecine war back home.

Unfortunately, some of these politicians do not receive the required punishment for the crime they have committed, because they are living out of this jurisdiction. In the end, it is their people that suffer for the crimes they have committed. In our opinion, the only way to deal with some of these injustices is the policy that the US is introducing.

If our politicians and opinion leaders know that they cannot run to America or Europe to seek refuge after throwing the country into turmoil, they will think twice before using the upcoming December 7 election as a platform to cause confusion in the country.

The Chronicle is even happy that this visa restriction is being extended to family members of those who may try to sow seed of confusion in the country.

It is an undeniable fact that some of these politicians and wealthy people already have their families staying in the US, Canada and some of the European countries. So they just run away to stay with their families and enjoy themselves, after their actions and inactions have blown the country apart.

The Chronicle is, therefore, appealing to Mr Anthony Blinken to make it a policy to deport such families back home to face the consequences that have been created by their husbands and fathers.

We are equally appealing to UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and other European countries to come out with similar policy to protect our infant democracy.

We are raising this issue because if US refuses to grant visas to individuals who undermine our democracy, but the European countries are ready to do so, it will defeat the objective.

This is the reason why we are appealing to all European countries with embassies in Ghana to follow the giant step that has been taken by the US, by imposing visas restriction on anyone whose action undermine our democracy.

1...1,1211,1221,123...2,992Page 1,122 of 2,992

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

©
The Ghanaian Chronicle