Liam Delap was one of this summer’s most-wanted strikers.
The 22-year-old scored 12 goals in 37 Premier League games for Ipswich, with his tantalising £30m release clause attracting numerous suitors after they were relegated back to the Championship.
He was given permission to speak to clubs in May, with Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest all showing serious interest while Manchester City also held a buy-back option on their former player.
But it was Chelsea who won the race for his signature and, speaking before the Blues’ final Club World Cup group game against ES Tunis on Wednesday, Delap has revealed why – including the pull of Europe and rejoining some familiar faces.
“You never know if it is going to be the right decision but you’ve just got to go with your gut and hope it works out,” he said. “You’ve got to take your time. I took a few days to speak to people and decide my future.”
One of those people he consulted was Chelsea’s star attacker Cole Palmer, who he first played with at Manchester City at the age of 15.
Delap added: “I asked him what I needed to ask him, he told me what I needed to know. But I don’t like too much information. Ultimately it was my decision so I kind of just want my head to be clear.”
Manchester City defender Rico Lewis has been given a further two-match ban for his red card in their Club World Cup opener against Wydad Casablanca.
The 20-year-old England full-back was dismissed in the 88th minute of City’s 2-0 win over the Moroccan side in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
He was given an automatic one-match ban and missed Monday’s 6-0 win against United Arab Emirates side Al Ain in Atlanta, but that ban has now been extended as a Fifa disciplinary committee ruled the tackle was “serious foul play”.
City appealed against the extension but were unsuccessful, meaning the academy graduate will miss Thursday’s game against Juventus and their last-16 tie.
Pep Guardiola’s side are already guaranteed a place in the knockout stage after winning both their group matches so far.
Benfica will qualify for the next stage of the Club World Cup should they avoid defeat when they face off against Bayern Munich on Tuesday at Bank of America Stadium.
Benfica beat Auckland City 6-0 on June 20 and have four points from their two group games, and the Portuguese side only need to draw against Bayern, who have six points and have already advanced to the round of 16.
The Primeira Liga club brushed aside Auckland, though they only scored their first in the eighth minute of first-half stoppage time, but the floodgates opened in the second half given the victors created six big chances and did not face a shot from inside the box.
Manager Bruno Lage has already achieved history given his side had never qualified for the Club World Cup, and while they had twice participated in the competition’s predecessor – the Intercontinental Cup – they lost both matches they played in those tournaments.
Meanwhile, Bayern emerged as 2-1 victors against Argentinian opponents Boca Juniors on Saturday, becoming the first side to beat a South American team in the Club World Cup in 10 matches.
Bayern only need a point to top the group, and finishing first would ensure they play the runners-up of either group B, D, F or H.
The Bavarians boast a phenomenal record against Benfica considering they are undefeated in their last seven matches against their opponents, winning six times while scoring 20 goals.
Thomas Muller picked up an injury last time out, so Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala and Kingsley Coman may be selected behind striker Harry Kane instead.
Bayern could look to substitute players early in the second half in order to avoid injury, and doing so may benefit Benfica.
Kompany will still expect his team to claim all three points, especially as his side have been phenomenal in the final third, and they are likely to score multiple goals.
Needing a big win to have any hope of staying in the Club World Cup, Boca Juniors must beat already-eliminated Auckland City when the teams meet in Nashville today.
With Bayern Munich guaranteed to go through from Group C and second-placed Benfica three points ahead of them, Boca require a significant goal-difference swing to reach the last 16.
Though Boca Juniors have given a good account of themselves so far, their 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in Miami left dreams of making the Club World Cup’s knockout phase hanging by a thread.
Having previously squandered a precious two-goal lead against Benfica, Miguel Angel Russo‘s men have just one point on the board, so only victory will do on Group C’s final matchday.
Even maximum points might not be enough, as Benfica just need to avoid defeat against Bayern to progress in second place; should the Lisbon club slip up, Boca would still need to win handsomely in Nashville, with a goal-difference deficit of seven to wipe out.
A tie on points and goal difference could even see the runners-up spot decided by Fair Play criteria, but in any case, Boca will only be concerned about such matters if they get a multi-goal win.
Miguel Angel Russo has mixed news ahead of Boca’s final group game, as one key player can return, but several others will miss out.
Veteran forward Edinson Cavani could be back on the bench after recovering from an injury, albeit Miguel Merentiel – who has scored in both games so far – is set to keep his starting spot up front.
However, centre-back Nicolas Figal and Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera – both of whom were sent off against Benfica – have been handed four-game bans.
Furthermore, Marcos Rojo has missed training and fellow defender Ayrton Costa is ruled out by a muscle strain, so former AC Milan man Marco Pellegrino could be asked to deputise in Boca’s back four.
While Auckland City were outclassed by two regulars in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase, a far from vintage Boca Juniors side may not have enough nous to produce a similar scoreline.
The Buenos Aires club are almost sure to win in Nashville, but their margin of victory is unlikely to keep them alive in the tournament.
Former Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has sounded a strong caution to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) against what he described as the dangerous infiltration of tribal and religious politics in the party’s internal campaigns.
His comments come in the wake of increasing intra-party tensions ahead of the selection of the NPP’s 2028 Presidential Candidate, expected early next year.
While the internal race is yet to be officially opened, subtle campaigns have begun and in some quarters, they have taken a divisive tone.
Dr Bawumia interacting with constituency chairmen of the party
Over the weekend, a video surfaced showing NPP Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, Dr. Steven Amoah, who is also a known supporter of Kennedy Agyapong, addressing TESCON members in Kumasi.
In the footage, Dr. Steven Amoah claimed Christians in the country were not ready for a Muslim leader, an apparent reference to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Speaking at the party’s Constituency Chairmen Caucus meeting in Kumasi on Saturday, Dr. Bawumia warned that such religious and tribal campaign strategies are deeply harmful to the party’s fabric.
“We are a united party encompassing people from all ethnic groups, all religions and we are all part of the elephant family. It is, therefore, very important that we do not allow people for the sake of political advantage to bring us apart as a party,” Dr. Bawumia said.
“I’m saying this because recently people are going religious and tribal. That’s dangerous for the New Patriotic Party. Very dangerous for us, if you go in that direction,” he added.
He also responded to claims, largely circulated by persons associated with other flagbearer hopefuls, suggesting the NPP lost the 2024 election because Christians refused to vote for a Muslim candidate. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia described these claims as false and divisive.
“What is clear and it is stated in black and white in the Prof Oquaye report, as well as all the other surveys is that religion and tribe were not factors in the 2024 election. So we should not try to create and say that Christians would not vote for Bawumia. My 4.7m votes, were there only Muslims who voted for me? It is not possible. All voted for me.”
The Former Vice President further questioned why past presidential candidates’ electoral defeats were never attributed to religion.
“When Kufuor lost did we say religion? When Mills lost did we say religion? When Nana Akufo-Addo lost did we say religion? That is not a factor, but people want to make it a factor for political reasons.
“He explained that if he genuinely believed his religion was a hindrance to the party’s chances in 2028, he would not have contested.
“If that was the case, I wouldn’t have contested at all. I would have stepped aside if that is the case because I’m not a selfish person. I value the party. If that was the case, I would have stepped aside because I would not jeopardise the ability of the party to win the 2028 election.
“I would have stepped aside, but that is not the case. People are trying to do that for their own political advantage and it is really dangerous for our party.”
The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), in a joint exercise with the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) has destroyed various kinds of confiscated illicit drugs.
Though the persons involved are facing the law, the court gave an order for the illicit drugs to be destroyed after samples had been taken as evidence to prosecute the various matters.
The drugs before the burning
The exercise, which took place on Friday, June 20, 2025 at the Bundase Military Training Camp, saw NACOC burning seized cocaine, cannabis, codeine and MDMA (ecstasy).
The exercise was also to commemorate this year’s World Drug Day, slated for Thursday, June 26, 2025.
This year’s World Drug Day calls for investment in prevention, including justice, education, health care and alternative livelihoods.
DESTROYED
NACOC and NIB last Friday destroyed 113.348 kg of Cocaine, 10.45 kg of Heroin, 1934.273 kg of Cannabis, 2.00 kg of Methamphetamine and 0.644 kg of MDMA (Ecstasy).
The rest are 1.099 kg of Ketamine and 15.1 kg of Cathinone and cartons of Codeine, Diclofenac and Hyergra, all with a weight of 11,500 kg.
In total, NACOC had 13,513.91 kg of Narcotics, whilst the NIB had 3,313 kg of seized Cocaine. The overall weight of Narcotics set ablaze and supervised to burn to ashes was 16,826.91 kg.
The illicit drugs set ablaze
The journalists who covered the destruction were informed that the cocaine seized by the NIB in the Central Region, with a street value of US$350 million, was part of the narcotics destroyed.
Officials told the media that the destruction followed a directive from the Accra High Court.
TEST
In the presence of journalists and other security agencies, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, officials from the Ghana Standards Authority conducted an on-site test before the consignments were set ablaze.
The tests were to confirm the authenticity of the illicit drugs seized, in particular to demonstrate the “transparency” of the exercise to the public.
The representatives of the Ghana Standards Authority used cobalt thiocyanate reagent and hydrochloric acid to test the cocaine, which sample turned blue, thus confirming the authenticity. Tests were conducted on samples of the cannabis which turned out positive.
TRANSPARENCY
The Director-General of the NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, indicated that the destruction in the presence of the media was to demonstrate the transparency in combating the menace.
“And we invited you here so that the whole country and perhaps the whole world would know what we’ve been doing. And it is also to show our commitment to the rule of law,” he stated.
WARNING
He cautioned those involved in the trade that their activity was unfair to the country, stating that the security would not renege on its mandate to allow them to trade illicit drugs.
According to him, NACOC, from July, would conduct special swoops on illicit drug users to apprehend those involved.
“And my simple message to those who are involved in this illicit drug business is that it is not fair to the country. We will not stand idly by and allow them to bring these illicit drugs to destroy our future leaders,” he remarked.
The D-G called for collaboration to be able to expose the perpetrators in a book, to name and shame.
“From next month we will be conducting special operations and we will go after them. I will hope that you will cooperate with us and assist us as much as possible, so that we can bring them to public view for them to be named and shamed. This cannot continue in our lovely country. We need peace, security and a healthy state,” he asserted.
ARREST
The deputy D-G said “What you saw today, there was an arrest that was made by the NIB and the NACOC in the Central Region of Ghana. We arrested $350m worth of cocaine. That cocaine that was arrested was those sacks that you saw packed at the corner there, which we are burning now. The court has given us the fiat to be able to do so.
Thursday is a grand celebration for World Drugs Day, to be graced by the Vice President at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The case in which four accused persons are before the Tema District Court over the murder of Mrs Josephine Asante has been adjourned to Thursday, July 3, 2025.
The accused are (1) Richard Kwabena Kwakye, aka Kwabena Boateng (2) Dominic Owusu (3) Christian Adjei and (4) Frederick Owusu Oppong, aka Kojo Owusu.
Mrs Asante, then Marketing and Public Affairs Manager at the Tema Port of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) was found dead on Sunday January 13, 2019 in her home at Emefs Hillview Estates, near Afienya, in the Ningo Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region.
The investigation of the case travelled from the Emefs Police Station, Tema Regional Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Homicide Unit and presently the Cold Case Unit, all at the CID Headquarters in Accra.
On Thursday June 5, 2025 when the case, Suit Number B1/13/2023 was called at 9:06am the Prosecution told the court, presided over by Her Worship Benedicta Antwi (Esq), that since it is a suspected murder case, they had forwarded the docket for the forensic just three months ago, and that the prosecution was awaiting the results.
Her Worship asked if the accused persons were on bail and the response was yes, followed with when, which answer the Prosecution gave as last year on separate days. The Judge then asked who was the state attorney in charge of the matter?
The Prosecution responded: I told the court earlier that we are waiting for forensic results, which has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office. He prayed that the case be stood down momentarily for him to call the investigator.
The case was recalled at 11:30am with all the accused persons present.
Nuhu Umar, who was holding brief for Baba Jamal, represented the 3rd accused person.
The Prosecutor then told the court that “I enquired from the investigator who informed me that the duplicate docket was forwarded to serious crimes registry.”
The state attorney in charge is Senior State Attorney, Joshua Sackey. According to the prosecution, the latter intimated to them that he was in charge of the docket and that was working on the advice.
The Prosecution prayed for a date in early August, however, the Court adjourned the case to Thursday July 3, 2025.
The Dansoman Circuit Court is expected to resume proceedings today in a high-profile fraud case involving Mahama Saani Razak, a 43-year-old businessman accused of defrauding a farmer of over GH¢1.4 million under false pretenses of securing jobs and auctioned vehicles.
The case, titled The Republic vs. Mahama Saani Razak, was originally scheduled for hearing on June 18, 2025 before Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit. However, the proceedings were adjourned to today, due to the accused’s absence in court.
Mahama Razak faces two counts of defrauding by false pretence, contrary to Section 131(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). Prosecutor C. I. Christopher Wonder is representing the Republic.
In the first charge, Mahama Razak is accused of obtaining GH¢834,000.00 from Alhaji Sumani Amadu, a farmer from Larabanga in the Savannah Region, between March and May 2025.
The accused allegedly claimed he could secure jobs in government institutions — including the Ghana Police Service, Immigration Service, Armed Forces, Water Company, Revenue Authority and the Bank of Ghana for 18 of the complainant’s children, nieces and nephews.
The second charge involves an additional GH¢580,000 which the accused allegedly collected to procure auctioned vehicles: a tipper truck, a Benz bus and a Toyota Land Cruiser V8.
According to investigators, none of the promised jobs or vehicles materialised.
Background of the Case
According to police reports, Mahama Razak befriended the complainant after seeking help from him earlier this year.
As a gesture of gratitude, he and his wife, Abigail Ajara, reportedly enrolled two of Amadu’s children in a driving school in Accra.
Mahama Razak then allegedly posed as a presidential staffer stationed at Jubilee House and promised access to lucrative government employment opportunities.
Persuaded by this claim, Alhaji Amadu sent 18 family members to Mahama Razak and transferred the requested amounts via mobile money accounts.
Investigators have confirmed that the funds were sent to numbers 0592041490 and 0531911926, both provided by the accused.
Further investigations also reveal that Razak might have used similar schemes to defraud individuals in Adjen Kotoku and surrounding areas.
The accused has since been arrested and charged. The case is under the supervision of Detective Chief Inspector Abubakar Jantu, who is leading the ongoing investigations.
Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII, Paramount chief of Battor
The Judicial Committee of the Volta Region House of Chiefs has dismissed a chieftaincy suit seeking to affirm the alleged destoolment of Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII, Paramount Chief of Battor, by traditional kingmakers of the Dzekley Paramount Stool.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 came from a three-member panel chaired by Togbega Gbogbi Atsa V, with Togbe Kwasi Drah VII and Togbe Drake Tsigbe IV as members.
In a strongly worded decision, the committee ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to determine the amended petition filed by the petitioners and consequently awarded a cost of GH¢20,000 against them, in favour of Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII, the respondent.
Petition Dismissed on Jurisdictional Grounds
The petition, originally filed on February 14, 2023 and amended on June 23, 2023 sought a declaration that Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII had been customarily destooled by the Zikpuitor and kingmakers.
Other reliefs included an order for the respondent to hand over stool property, render accounts for river and sand proceeds and a perpetual injunction restraining him from holding himself out as a chief.
However, the committee, citing its lack of jurisdiction, stated that it was not the proper forum to validate a supposed destoolment that had not followed the required legal and customary procedures.
“The Judicial Committee does not have the power to destool a chief or confirm a destoolment performed without adherence to statutory process,” the ruling emphasised, referencing section 40(3) of the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759).
The committee explained that before a chief can be deposed, destoolment charges must first be instituted and tried by a competent Judicial Committee.
Only upon a guilty verdict can the kingmakers proceed with any customary rites to remove the chief.
In this case, no such charges were properly brought and the committee concluded that it could not validate an already presumed destoolment.
Key Legal Precedents Cited
The committee referenced several key legal decisions, including the Supreme Court’s rulings in Essilfie v Anafo VI and Republic v Asokore Traditional Council; Ex parte Tiwaa, reiterating that “the power to make or unmake a chief resides exclusively with the kingmakers” and that judicial committees can only assess whether proper charges and due processes have been followed.
It added that bringing a declaration suit for a “customary destoolment” without first following the lawful destoolment procedure amounted to inviting the committee to ratify an illegality.
The committee further held that the suit lacked merit and ordered the petitioners to pay GH¢20,000 in costs to the respondent.
The petitioners in the suit were:
Zikpuitor Korsi Hottor
Togbe Atter Adza
Togbe Dzivor Patamia IV
Amega Christian Avusuglo
Amega Samuel Hervi
Amega Sampson Ametepey
Amega Cosmos Lotsu
Amega Bernard Dzadza
The respondent, Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII, remains the duly recognised Paramount Chief of Battor under customary and statutory law.
In response to the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghana has launched the Pandemic Fund Project, a $16.3 million initiative aimed at strengthening national health security over the next three years.
As one of only six African countries to receive funding under the Pandemic Fund’s second call for proposals, Ghana’s project focuses on enhancing disease surveillance, laboratory systems and the health workforce.
The initiative also adopts a One Health approach, promoting collaboration across human, animal and environmental health sectors. A nine-member National Steering Committee, co-chaired by the Minister of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO), will provide oversight and strategic direction to ensure the success of the project.
First of all, The Chronicle commends this Initiative. We can all remember how the COVID-19 pandemic shook the foundations of even the most advanced health systems around the world, and for Ghana it exposed longstanding weaknesses in disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, laboratory capacity and healthcare workforce infrastructure.
The scars from that global crisis remain fresh, families lost loved ones, hospitals overflowed and the economy suffered. Yet, if there is any silver lining, it is the urgent clarity it brought, that is, we must never be caught unprepared again.
The launch of the Pandemic Fund Project is, therefore, not just timely but essential. With a $16.3 million grant awarded under this project, we are expected to strengthen the country’s health systems, with eye not just on current needs, but on future pandemics and public health emergencies.
The pandemic revealed just how critical it is not only for responding to outbreaks but for early detection and prevention. Without strong laboratories, we cannot test or diagnose. Without trained health workers, we cannot treat. Without proper surveillance, we cannot act swiftly to contain threats.
Also, the formation of a National Steering Committee comprising representatives from key ministries like Health, Finance, Agriculture, Environment and Gender, along with partners like WHO, FAO, the World Bank and civil society adds another layer of strength to this effort. It ensures that implementation is inclusive, accountable and guided by both technical expertise and local knowledge.
What makes this fund different and deeply significant, is that it focuses on prevention, not just reaction. It is to strengthen systems before the next emergency.
The success of this initiative hinges on political will, institutional coordination and community engagement. Ghana still faces challenges such as inadequate health worker-to-patient ratios, regional disparities in access to healthcare, and limited rural infrastructure.
Now is the time to act, not just for the next pandemic, but for every health challenge that looms quietly in the background. Ghana must use this opportunity to build a health system that is not only reactive to crises but one that delivers quality care every day to every Ghanaian, regardless of geography or income.
We commend the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, and all stakeholders involved for their leadership and foresight. But we also urge transparency, measurable outcomes, and community-level inclusion throughout the implementation process.
This must not be another well-decorated policy launch that ends with talks. It is our hope that this project will see the light of day. It won’t be full of talks. We will be monitoring its progress.
