Paris St-Germain have agreed a deal to sell Brazil forward Neymar to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for about 90m euros (£77.6m) plus add-ons.
The transfer is subject to the 31-year-old completing a medical and all necessary paperwork.
Neymar, who joined PSG for a world-record fee of £200m in 2017, was left out of their squad for the Ligue 1 draw against Lorient on Saturday.
He was not part of coach Luis Enrique’s plans for the new season.
His exit also fits PSG’s strategy of moving away from the ‘Galacticos’ era of signing high-profile players for big fees and significant wages, with Lionel Messi also leaving the club earlier this summer.
Neymar was understood to be earning in the region of 25m euros (£21.6m) annually at the French side.
He will reportedly be paid 150m euros (£129.2m) a year in Saudi Arabia – six times the amount he earned at PSG.
The Brazilian made 173 appearances for PSG, helping the club win 13 trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles, as well as reaching the 2020 Champions League final.
However, his time in the French capital has also been hampered by a number of ankle injuries.
The former Barcelona player had surgery in March that caused him to miss the rest of the season and he only resumed training in July.
He missed two of Brazil’s matches at the 2022 World Cup after being injured in their opening group match.
The forward also missed the 2019 Copa America after suffering torn ligaments in his right ankle and was out for several weeks in 2021 with a similar injury.
Real Madrid have signed Spain goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea on a season-long loan.
The 28-year-old will cover for Madrid’s regular number one Thibaut Courtois, who will miss most of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Kepa has made 163 appearances for Chelsea since joining from Athletic Bilbao for £71m in August 2018 – the highest fee ever paid for a goalkeeper.
He faced competition at the Blues from summer signing Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea sold Senegal international goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli earlier this summer.
Kepa’s exit leaves 31-year-old Marcus Bettinelli as the only other senior goalkeeper in their squad, alongside 20-year-old Lucas Bergstrom and 19-year-old Eddie Beach.
The under-fire former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, appears to be purging herself of “false” narrations about the ongoing saga.
She is not taking false reportage about the matter lightly and has since threatened to sue, in a decision contained in a letter to multimedia, through her Solicitors.
In the letter dated Friday, August 11, 2023 and sighted by The Chronicle, the Solicitors, Sam Okudzeto and Associates, claimed the media house, JoyNews, had published “untrue and misleading” information about Cecilia Dapaah.
As such, the letter is demanding a retraction and apology in three days, “failing which we have our client’s firm instructions to institute legal action and bring the full force of the law to bear on your outfit for the damage and injury your reportage has caused and keeps causing.”
According to the letter, signed by Victoria Barth and copied to the client, in reference to an application filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on freezing the bank accounts of their client, the media outlet published information about amounts contained in those bank accounts, though that was not specifically disclosed by the investigative body.
The client is livid because the media house repeated the publication even after the OSP had dispelled the claims, ascribing the source of the information to “nameless, unidentified and unverifiable sources.”
The letter, addressed to the Chief Executive Office of the Multimedia Group Limited, Kwesi Twum, gave the chronology of the publications and insisted the amounts mentioned were false, but it did not give the right figures.
“From the foregoing, it is evident that your outfit’s consistent reportage of our client’s matter has been steeped in the purported reliance on information from unidentified sources and a reckless disregard for truth and accuracy.
“The figures you have been publishing about the sums in our client’s bank accounts are false and you have continued to push these falsehoods that you attribute to unidentified and unverified sources,” the strongly worded letter said.
The lawyers insinuated that the publications were motivated by “malice and a deliberate or reckless attempt to impute wrongdoing to our client,” throwing to the wind the constitutional principle of innocence until proven guilty.
The lawyers boldly demanded a retraction and apology to Cecilia Dapaah in three days from the day of delivery of the letter or face the full rigors of the law.
ACCOUNT FREEZE
The OSP is in court for legal backing for the freezing of the Prudential and Societte General bank accounts of Cecilia Dapaah, who is under investigation for alleged corruption and corruption-related offences.
In the application to be moved by an Accra High Court on Thursday, August 17, 2023 the OSP attached the letters written to both banks as exhibits.
In the application, the OSP argued that the court’s approval to continue to freeze those bank accounts would enable it to continue its probe.
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education in Aburi Girls Science Labs
The Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Education, is retooling over 200 science laboratories in existing Senior High schools across the country, in a major push to enhance science education in the Country.
Afloa Science Labs
This comes, as part of Government’s efforts to reposition Ghana’s education to produce a critical mass of assertive and empowered Ghanaian students, equipped with the essential skills for socio-economic transformation, the Ministry of Education has said.
Wesley Girls Science Labs
The ministry, with a significant step towards fostering conducive learning environment for future scientists and innovators, is also spearheading the construction of new science labs in existing schools and the Model STEM schools.
This initiative is set to transform the landscape of science education in Ghana and align the country’s education in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
In a shared statement to The Chronicle, the Ministry noted that with the world rapidly advancing in scientific discoveries and innovations, the government of Ghana sees the crucial need to equip its students with the necessary skills and resources to compete on the global stage, hence the introduction of this initiative.
The statement revealed that, the construction and refurbishment project is progressing steadily, with Afua Kobi Ampem Girls Senior High School, Abuakwa State College and Opoku Ware SHS nearing completion and expected to welcome students to their state-of-the-art science labs by the end of July 2023.
“Other schools, such as Bosomtwe Oyoko Community Senior High School and Osei Adutwum SHS are currently at 65% completion and will have fully functional labs that will enhance students’ learning experiences in science subjects by the end of 2023,” the Ministry said.
Okuapeman Science Labs
One of the standout components of this project, according to the Ministry, is the establishment of model schools, serving as examples of modern STEM education.
Model School Awaso, Kpasenkpe Model School and Abomosu STEM School are already leading the pack with 90% to 95% completion rates, surpassing the original expectations.
These efforts by the Ministry of Education demonstrates the government’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and scientific inquiry among the youth, with an impact expected to extend far beyond the classroom, as it aims to inspire and empower the next generation of scientists, engineers and problem solvers.
“Ghana’s investment in science education is a testament to the nation’s dedication to progress and its desire to compete globally in the realm of scientific advancements.
“With these new and refurbished laboratories, Ghana is taking a significant step forward in shaping a brighter and more prosperous future for its citizens and the country as a whole,” said the Ministry.
Background
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education have been the foundation for discovery and technological innovation, and advancement throughout human history. It has facilitated the discovery of steam engine, electricity, internal combustion, automobile, large-scale industries and manufacturing, computer science and IT, automation, and medical advances.
People working in STEM are changing the face of the world every day through the discovery of life-saving drugs (e.g., vaccines for covid-19) and devices, or creating new technologies that keep us healthier, safer, and even for entertainment.
STEM education has been recognized globally as the fulcrum of achieving socioeconomic transformation through a conscious repositioning of the education system to produce a critical mass of assertive and empowered students equipped with the essential skills for socioeconomic transformation.
This global turn to STEM is evident in the Government’s efforts worldwide in the implementation of STEM policies. Countries such as Finland, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Brazil, Mauritius, Germany, United Kingdom, etc, have over the last decade been vigorously pursuing STEM education and steadily increasing student enrollment.
Kumasi High School Science Labs
Ghana, through the Ministry of Education, with the aim of strengthening STEM education has this year operationalised five out of the ten 21st Century Model STEM schools and has successfully placed over 2,058 out of the 7,177 studentswho applied to pursue various programs in STEM programs.
The schools running the programs include the Abomoso STEM school which currently has enrolled 615 students, Awaso STEM which is also with 544 students, Bosmotwe Girls STEM with 374, Kpasenkpe STEM with 433 and Bosomtwe STEM with 92 students.
A New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has staked his claim that he is the best candidate to defeat Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 Elections to form the next government.
The former Trade Minister’s conviction comes after he met all delegates from the 47 constituencies in the Ashanti Region, ahead of the presidential primary of the party.
Mr. Kyerematen, who toured the region meeting delegates over a week in durbars, said he was ready to contest John Dramani Mahama, and called on the delegates to make him NPP’s flagbearer to force the bitter pill of defeat down the throat of Mahama.
He gave the assurance that once he was given the mandate to lead the party to the 2024 Elections, he would work towards ensuring that the party garnered two million votes from the Ashanti Region alone, besides those from other regions.
He said former President John Dramani Mahama was no match to him, because he, Mahama, had outlived his capabilities and had nothing new to offer Ghanaians.
According to the former Minister for Trade and Industry, Mahama’s track record, from his days as Vice President till he became the President, proved that he was a bad manager of the economy.
He, therefore, asked for the delegates’ vote at the NPP primaries so he could put his experience and vision to the benefit of Ghanaians.
He believes a contest between Mahama and himself would make it easier for the NPP to garner, at least, 54% of the votes cast to ‘break the eight’.
Alan Cash, as he is popularly called, said it was incumbent on the delegates to make the right choice of a leader to revive the economy to boom just as it prevailed when former President Kufuor left power in 2009.
He noted that the power to resuscitate the economy resided in the decision of the delegates to choose a competent person to roll out effective and efficient interventions to address the situation.
According to him, the answer to the economic mess lay in his Great Transformational Plan designed as the beat intervention to see Ghana rise again.
“I can assure delegates, and Ghanaians at large, that l will bring hope to Ghana, because l will deliver,” Mr. Kyerematen assured.
Alifa Adams, also known as Cassidy, continues to make significant contributions as the CEO of CMG Consult (Central Migration Grace Consult Ltd), evolving beyond business leadership to embody a philanthropic force committed to uplifting the community, advancing education, and offering vital humanitarian aid.
At the helm of CMG Consult, a prominent travel and tour consultancy, Adams’s dedication extends beyond borders, encompassing a profound commitment to his hometown, Bawku.
In an impactful and heart-warming initiative, Alifa Adams spearheaded a comprehensive effort that encompassed various aspects of community development. Beyond donating essential educational materials to schools within the municipality, Adams extended his support to address multiple community needs. The initiative saw the distribution of:
– 5,000 pairs of male and female shoes for school-going children.
– 5,000 exercise books to facilitate learning and growth.
– 5,000 school bags, providing students with tools for their educational journey.
In addition to education support, Adams also demonstrated his dedication to religious and community centers by providing:
– 10 amplifiers with speakers and microphones for local mosques, enhancing the audio experience for congregational prayers.
– 200 prayer mats, ensuring a comfortable space for devout worship.
– 200 pieces of Jalabia clothing, enabling individuals to participate in prayers with reverence.
– 5,000 tasbia (prayer beads), fostering a deeper connection to spiritual practices.
– 200 shajada (prayer rugs), elevating the prayer experience for many.
Recognizing the importance of clothing and basic necessities, Adams went further by contributing:
– 5,000 sets of second-hand clothing, extending a helping hand to individuals in need.
– 1,000 bags of rice, addressing a fundamental dietary requirement and easing food insecurity.
– 1,060 packs of oil, providing a crucial cooking staple for families.
Understanding the significance of hygiene and well-being, Adams also included:
– 1,080 packs of sanitary pads, acknowledging the importance of women’s health and dignity.
This multifaceted initiative was orchestrated with the collaboration of a dynamic team of local youths who worked tirelessly on behalf of Alifa Adams. Their active involvement reflects the unity and collaboration essential for meaningful community upliftment. The donation event garnered heartfelt gratitude from Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA), school principals, religious leaders, and community members alike. The impact of this comprehensive effort resonates deeply, touching upon education, spirituality, basic needs, and community growth.
As the CEO of CMG Consult and a dedicated philanthropist, Alifa Adams and his team stand as an embodiment of compassion, rapid response, and genuine commitment to fostering positive change. This initiative not only bolsters education and community support but also reinforces the potential for transformative progress when collective efforts converge.
Amid the promise of Bawku’s revitalization, Alifa Adams’ multifaceted philanthropic endeavor shines as a beacon of hope, inspiring others to embrace compassion and contribute to meaningful change. For media inquiries: Videos and images can be accessed on BAWKUFM’s official Facebook page.
The Minister for Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has called for an increased cooperation between the government and the citizenry to drive the nation towards progress and prosperity.
Speaking to students and faculty of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, the Minister stressed the need for increased engagement between academia, industry, and government to ensure that education and training align with the evolving needs of the country.
“Dear graduates, as you step into the world beyond these walls, I urge you to embrace the power of synergy. Collaborate with industry, engage with government, and continue to seek knowledge and personal growth.
“Remember that your success is not achieved in isolation, but through collective effort and collaboration. May your journey ahead be filled with success, fulfilment, and a steadfast commitment to building synergies for the betterment of yourselves, and our society at large,” he said.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah highlighted the importance of implementing policies aimed at promoting equal opportunities for all emphasizing that, such policies are essential in building a more inclusive and equitable society where everyone can contribute to and benefit from the country’s growth and development.
He gave the assurance that government on its part is committed to championing interventions that create a level playing field for all citizens. The goal, he said, is to enable every individual, regardless of their background, to pursue their aspirations and make meaningful contributions to the nation’s development. He said by doing so, government seeks to remove barriers and provide equal opportunities for everyone in Ghana, ensuring that no one is left behind.
This, he emphasised the role of active citizen participation in the governance architecture of the country. He encouraged Ghanaians to provide valuable input and timely feedback to government, as this plays a crucial role in shaping effective policies that address the nation’s needs and aspirations.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has hinted that one day the premier tertiary institution, the University of Ghana (UG) will be named after the late Joseph Boakye Dankwa.
According to the President, but for the polarised political environment in Ghana, naming the school after the man he said was the founder “would not have been out of place.”
Regardless, he made his point with forward-looking optimism, praising the exceptional role J.B Danquah played in bringing forth the institution.
President Akufo-Addo was speaking on Friday, August 11, 2023 as the special guest of honor at the 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of the UG.
Though the President was not emphatic about whether the naming would happen before January 7, 2025, he made the point forcefully that the move would be in recognition of the “inestimable” work J.B Danquah did in mobilising Ghanaians to establish the university.
“Indeed, in many other jurisdictions where there is less heat in their politics and more attachment to the fact of historical record, it would not have been out of place to have this university named after him [JB Danquah]. Who knows, one day it may well happen,” Akufo-Addo hinted.”
He continued that “it will be wholly appropriate and not far-fetched to describe Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of this institution (UG), a fact that on the 75th anniversary of its existence it should be vividly recalled by all who are being and are the beneficiaries of his work.”
HISTORY
Going down memory lane, President Akufo-Addo recounted the history of UG following the setting up of the Elliot Commission in 1943, tasked by the colonial government to investigate the possibility of establishing a university in West Africa.
With a majority decision, the Commission recommended that two universities be established in the Gold Coast and Ibadan, Nigeria, for West Africa and a minority report also said that a single university was feasible.
The British government had earlier accepted the minority report that a single university be established in Nigeria, a decision the people of the Gold Coast rejected.
Led by J.B Danquah, the people of the Gold Coast, including farmers, insisted that the university be established in the Gold Coast and pressed upon the Gold Coast government to inform the British that they could support a university.
The British, having been convinced by the Gold Coast government that it could support a university college, reviewed its decision as recommended by the Elliot Commission and agreed to the establishment of the University College of the Gold Coast in 1948.
CELEBRATION
The Vice-Chancellor of UG, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, remarked that the 75th anniversary celebration had been a period of introspection and reflection, following the seven and a half decades of operation.
She indicated that the anniversary also afforded them the opportunity to take stock and re-strategise for the next seven decades.
The theme of the anniversary is: “Nurturing resilience: adopting technology, embracing humanism.”
Prof. Appiah Amfo explained the three keywords in the theme, saying that resilience was inspired by the tenacity of the university to stand tall amidst challenges.
The institution also has the quest to allow technology to drive its processes, which is “greater now than ever.”
For humanism, she said the university would not forget the public good in all its endeavors.
RESEARCH
The Vice Chancellor’s address preceded that of President Akufo-Addo, who urged all institutions in Ghana to focus their research on addressing social challenges and achieving economic prosperity.
While patting the UG on the back, he called on it to broaden its scope and link up with the industry and corporate world to undertake and implement research that practically solve societal issues.
“My government fully supports and shares your vision of becoming a research-intensive university and we will do everything we can to assist you in realising it,” he noted.
The Acting Director General of the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA), Isaac Mwinbelle, has justified the relocation of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) new Head Office due to earthquake security.
“…Ridge location is much safer when it comes to earth tremors, because the closer the structure to the epicenter, the more the devastating that it will cause as compared to when it’s further away from the epicenter”
He made this known in an interview with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) Last Friday.
According Mr. Mwinbelle, the move by the BoG was in the right direction, as the Bank must ensure structural safety for that of the staff and resources, adding that the new location of the headquarters building is better off because it is much further away from offshore.
“Bank of Ghana is being proactive by doing an assessment to find out whether the current location is suitable for a Central Bank or not, I think it is a plus for them because they must ensure the safety of the bank, the safety of the staff, as well as the safety of whatever is contained in there,” he stated.
He revealed that the coastal part of Ghana, most basically the eastern part, which is Accra, is an earthquake prone zone and this earthquake occur as a result of fault lines.
“The coastal parts of Ghana has a number of fault lines that passes through the area, but the prominent ones which have for the period produce some substantial earth tremors and earthquakes are the fault lines that are within the Kokrobite, Weija and Dansoman area and most of the earthquakes that have occurred over the period is as a result of the movement along these fault line,” he added.
He emphasised that there are fault zones in these areas, but they have not produced any substantial Earth tremor, but it doesn’t mean that there cannot be an earth tremor along those fault lines, and for that matter.
He told GBC News that although the current location of the Bank of Ghana has not experienced any earth tremor yet, the recent tremor occurred in Jamestown, which is closer to the Bank’s location.
It is in this regard that he disclosed that Ridge is much further away from the coastline which is from the offshore than the current location, which is the High Street area.
He said, given the structural integrity assessment by the Central Bank, the new headquarters building at Ridge, will be constructed to withstand any earth tremors and well fortified.
Also, he noted that the closer the structure to the epicenter, the more the devastating that it will cause as compared to when it’s further away from the epicenter, they may likely experience much lower devastation on the structure.
Regarding a question of whether a building can be built to withstand any form of natural disaster, Mr. Mwinbelle stated that it is the reason why it is important to look at the GGSA Act, which requires them (GGSA) to conduct site or ground investigation to see if this area has active fault lines or fault lines that could affect the structural integrity of the building.
“For that matter, for the old structure that was there, I am unable to tell whether such ground investigation or site investigation was properly conducted prior to the construction of that particular building,” he said.
But for the new site, he said because of the recent things, all these ones have been factored in by the risk department of the Bank, “I’m sure if constructed, it might serve as a better purpose and it will be constructed with reinforcement which should be able to withstand any as tremors or earthquakes that may occur because they would have factored in the ground acceleration and therefore, it should be much more safer,” he concluded.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has, in a recent meeting held in Abuja-Nigeria, ordered the immediate activation of its standby force to possibly intervene and restore constitutional order in Niger.
The decision followed the failure of the Niger coup leaders to hand over power back to the deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, as earlier ordered by the regional body. Though the deployment of troops from member countries is yet to start, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have already started warning President Akufo-Addo not to contribute troops to the French-speaking country.
The positions held by these CSOs are that ECOWAS itself has sat down for some of the leaders to orchestrate constitutional coups in their respective countries without any reprimand. They mentioned AlassaneDramaneOuattara, President of La Cote d’Ivoire, who amended the national constitution to enable him contest elections for the third term.
Faure Gnassingbe of Togo also did a similar thing to his country’s constitution, which helped him to contest for the presidency again, which he won.
Former President Alpha Conde of Guinea had wanted to use the same strategy to perpetuate himself in power, but unfortunately for him, he was removed by the military. To these CSOs, if ECOWAS could sit down for all these developments to happen, then it has no justification in sending troops to Niger to defend one of its own.
The Chronicle agrees one hundred percent with the position taken by the CSOs, because the attitudes of some of our leaders in the sub-region are, indeed, sickening. Since the late Gnassingbe Eyadema seized power through a military coup in the 1960s, Togo has become a political dynasty for his family. Elections in Ghana’s eastern neighbouring country can best be described as a charade, as it is organised by the Minister of the Interior, who is appointed by the President.
Alhassane Ouattara is a western trained Economist, who came to power after a lot of blood was shed. He made sure his opponent, Koudou Laurent Gbagbo, who was reluctant in handing over power to him until French forces intervened, had been handed over to the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC). As a result, no one expected Mr. Ouattara to amend the Ivorian Constitution to enable him contest the presidency again after his tenure ended, but he did that.
As we put this piece together, President Macky Sall of Senegal is also making efforts to change the constitution so that he can also stand for a third time, which is beyond his constitutional mandate. He is doing this by harassing the opposition leader in an attempt to cow him into submission.
ECOWAS leaders are aware of all these twaddle going on, yet no efforts have been made to rein in colleagues to respect their constitutional term limit. However, immediately the military steps in, the same sub-regional body is ready to defend these constitutional dictators. It is upon the basis of this that The Chronicle thinks the CSOs have made a cogent argument against the sending of our troops to Niger.
But the flip side of the argument is that the worst form of civilian government is better than military dictatorship. In our opinion, the emergence of coups in West Africa in recent years is a serious threat to the stability of the sub-region.
Already, the coup leaders in Burkina Faso and Mali have, or are planning to recruit the Wagner Group, a private military company based in Russia, to defend them. Wagner, we are told, demands mineral resources as a means of payment for their services.
By allowing them to make incursions into West Africa, they are eventually going to take over our mineral resources, which they would use to destabilise the sub-region. In our view, therefore, the Wagner Group should be stopped from establishing permanent bases in West Africa.
The sub-region would be laughing at the wrong side of its mouth if the military coup leaders are not prevented from recruiting the Russian private military company to provide security for them. The Wagner Group is simply fire that we should never play with.
Based on these analyses, The Chronicle is reluctantly supporting the deployment of Ghanaian troops to Niger to help restore constitutional order. When the Niger mission is successful, it would put the fear of God in those who may be planning to overthrow their governments.
People working in STEM are changing the face of the world every day through the discovery of life-saving drugs (e.g., vaccines for covid-19) and devices, or creating new technologies that keep us healthier, safer, and even for entertainment.
In an impactful and heart-warming initiative, Alifa Adams spearheaded a comprehensive effort that encompassed various aspects of community development. Beyond donating essential educational materials to schools within the municipality, Adams extended his support to address multiple community needs. The initiative saw the distribution of:
