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I didn’t have the best relationship with Arteta …Guendouzi lifts lid on Arsenal exit

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Guendouzi with manager Mikel Arteta at Arsenal

Matteo Guendouzi has lifted the lid on his relationship with Mikel Arteta and revealed the real reason behind his Arsenal departure.The midfielder made a permanent move to Marseille in the summer after loan spells at the Ligue 1 club and Bundesliga side Hertha.

The 23-year-old was banished from the Arsenal squad by Arteta in June 2020 following his infamous spat with Brighton‘s Neal Maupay.

‘Journalists used this excuse to say that we had a bad relationship and that’s why I stopped playing and left Arsenal [the Maupay incident],’ Guendouzi told BeIN Sports.

‘Not at all. It’s a gesture like many on the pitch. There’s a lot of tension sometimes, a lot of problems on the pitch. In any case, it has nothing to do with all that.’

Addressing his time under Arteta, the ex-Gunner added: ‘It’s true that I didn’t have the best relationship with him. Beyond that, I always tried to work, always gave the maximum of myself in training and in matches. I still play a few matches with him, I still did great performances.

‘He preferred other players and I respect that decision. That’s why, afterwards, I also decided to leave because I was still young, I needed playing time to continue to progress. The most important when you’re young is to play.’

Much was expected of the Frenchman in England, following his £8million move to the Gunners in 2018.

Credit: dailymail.co.uk

I had to ‘get out’ of Chelsea to ‘start afresh’ -Callum Hudson-Odoi

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Hudson-Odoi has admitted playing wing-back under Thomas Tuchel was difficult for him

Callum Hudson-Odoi has revealed he felt he needed to leave Chelsea in the summer to get his career back on track.

The 21-year-old winger was limited to just 11 Premier League starts last season as he fell out of favour and then suffered an Achilles tendon injury that derailed the second half of his campaign.

This led to him seeking a move away in the recent transfer window, and he joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan in August. Reflecting on the decision to move to Germany, Hudson-Odoi claims he was left with no other option, but he still wants to go back to Chelsea when his loan spell ends to prove he can play a significant role for the Blues.

‘Not in a rude way, as in I don’t like the club or I don’t want to be at the club, I don’t like the club. Nothing like that. But I needed to play football somewhere new. Start afresh. Try the best I can wherever I am. And then go back to Chelsea at the end of the loan.’

Hudson-Odoi struggled to nail down a position at Chelsea under former manager Thomas Tuchel, with the German trying him as a makeshift wing-back at times.

He has claimed he never had any personal issues with Tuchel, but Hudson-Odoi has admitted it was difficult for him to find his best form when playing in an unfamiliar role.

When asked if he was a natural wing-back, Hudson-Odoi replied: ‘Definitely not!’

‘It was definitely difficult at times with him but you have to get on with it and do what you can.’

Credit: dailymail.co.uk

Premier League announces Xmas & new year fixtures

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There will be a week and a half of almost daily Premier League games

The Premier League has announced its festive schedule, with games arranged for 10 of the 11 days between 26 December and 5 January.

Dates of the three rounds of matches have been moved for television and to ensure teams have longer between games.

There will be seven matches on 26 December as the Premier League returns for the first time since 13 November following the World Cup in Qatar.

No team will play twice within 48 hours as has previously happened.

This year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be moved from its traditional timing of June and July to November and December.

The 2022/23 EPL season began on August 5, a week earlier than the 2021/22 campaign started, and it will finish a week later than in 2022 on May 28, 2023.

The teams will play until the November 12/13 weekend, after which the competition will then stop to allow those involved in the World Cup to depart to join their respective national squads.

The EPL season will resume on December 26, eight days after the World Cup final.

Credit: bbc.com

Today’s Champions League Group Stage Fixtures & Previews

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Barcelona face their nemesis Bayern Munich

Barcelona welcome Bayern Munich in cagey encounter

Barcelona will be hoping to still be in with a chance of reaching the knockout round of the Champions League when they welcome Bayern Munich to Camp Nou on Wednesday night.

The Catalan outfit are third in Group C, three points behind second-placed Inter Milan, who would qualify by beating Viktoria Plzen earlier in the evening, while Bayern top the section with 12 points, having won all four of their matches in the section to progress to the round of 16 with two games to spare. It has been a disappointing Champions League group-stage campaign for the Catalan outfit, who have only picked up four points from four matches to sit third, three points behind second-placed Inter ahead of Wednesday’s two Group C fixtures.

The La Liga giants need a favour from Plzen and then to beat Bayern, but they have picked up just one point from their last three games in the competition. Barcelona can take heart from their last two home matches, beating Villarreal 3-0 and Athletic Bilbao 4-0.

However, Bayern’s spot at the top of the section is not a surprise considering their quality, and it has been an impressive group-stage performance thus far from the Bundesliga champions, recording four wins from four matches, scoring 13 times in the process and conceding just twice.

We have a feeling that this will be an entertaining contest and will end with the points being shared.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

 

Ajax host Liverpool

Ajax, Liverpool need positive result to boost qualification chances

Ajax must beat Liverpool to remain in the Champions League when the two sides meet at the Johann Cruyff Arena on Wednesday.

A point would be good enough to see the Reds progress to the knockout stages with one match to spare, although Jurgen Klopp‘s side may require a victory if they are to stand a chance of overthrowing Napoli at the top of Group A.

However, three successive defeats have left Ajax six points adrift of their forthcoming opponents, Liverpool, with two matches remaining, meaning that they must win and hope that Napoli do the same on the final matchday if they are to progress to the next round.

Liverpool looked to have turned a corner having beaten Manchester City and West Ham both 1-0 in the past week, but they succumbed by the reverse scoreline at the expense of a rejuvenated Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday.

We expect a fiercely competitive game on Wednesday, with both teams needing a positive result to boost their chances of progressing to the knockout stages.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Harry Kane and Hidemasa Morita when Sporting hosted Tottenham

Tottenham aim to secure qualification against Sporting Lisbon

Aiming to secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League and avoid a repeat of recent history, Tottenham Hotspur welcome Sporting Lisbon to North London for Wednesday’s Group D match.

Antonio Conte‘s side sit at the top of the section and will advance to the knockout rounds with a win here, while Sporting sit in third, just one point worse off than their confidence-sapped hosts.

Conte has already poured cold water on any hopes his side had of challenging for the Premier League title, but only 90 minutes separates Tottenham from a place in the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.

Sitting at the top of the group with seven points to their name, Tottenham will ensure that they cannot be usurped by their Portuguese opponents or Eintracht Frankfurt with a win here, but they could also end the matchday in third if results do not go their way.

Tottenham would do well to take advantage of Sporting’s significantly reduced defence this week, especially given their penchant for goals at home, but it is difficult to back Conte’s side with any real confidence while Kulusevski is not there to pick the lock.

Sporting’s own attacking prowess will be taken down a notch without top goalscorer and top assister Goncalves, but barring any more moments of madness from Amorim’s side, we can envisage a low-scoring stalemate as Tottenham share the points in Europe’s premier competition for the first time in over a decade.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Atlético Madrid vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Atletico Madrid, Leverkusen go head-to-head in Group B clash

With just one victory apiece from their opening four Group B games, Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen go head-to-head in an all-important clash in the Champions League. While the hosts recorded an impressive victory in LaLiga at Real Betis last time out, the German visitors continued their disappointing start to the season, with a 1-1 draw to Wolfsburg.

With this season’s surprise package, Club Brugge, already out of sight at the top of Group B, it is down to Porto, Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen to fight it out for the second qualifying spot for the Champions League knockout stages.

Atletico Madrid’s weekend win against a Real Betis side who boasted a 100% record in front of their own fans at the Benito Villamarin should fill them with confidence ahead of their European showdown.

. Bayer Leverkusen, on the other hand, just cannot seem to build any sort of consistency at the moment, having lost 10 of their 18 games in all competitions so far this season.

The visitors will be dangerous with the likes of Moussa Diaby on the break, but we think the quality of Simeone’s side should be enough to seal a crucial win.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Marathon Meetings Over Economy

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AGNES ANSAH
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Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia and Information Minister, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah

Owing to the economic challenges that have hit the country,the government is holding series of crunch meetings to dialogue and proffer solutions to mitigate the crisis.

Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, disclosed this at a news conference in Accra yesterday.

The Economic Management Team (EMT), met yesterday and is continuing today to discuss recommendations it has received on how to tackle some of the crisis the country is facing currently.

“…The EMT is also meeting to appraise itself of the latest numbers as have been put together and some of the recommendations as we get into the final part of the year.”

Last but not the least among these series of meetings will be a cabinet meeting that would take place from Thursday, October 27 to Saturday, October 29, 2022 where the President will receive a briefing from the Economic Management Team on the decisions it arrived at during its meeting on Monday.

The Finance Minister is also expected to brief the President about the ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

The President, based on these briefings put together will seek to proffer some solutions with his team and update Ghanaians accordingly.

Minister Oppong Nkrumah, however, noted that these measures will be implemented together with existing measures, such as the numerous budget cut that was announced during the first quarter of the year.

It would be recalled that in March 2022, government approved a 30% salary reduction for all Cabinet Ministers and heads of State-Owned Enterprises, effective April, 2022 till the year ends.

The Central Bank is also expected to hold a meeting with managing directors of some banks in the country, as well as heads of Forex Bureau Associations to first of all ensure that the supply of forex onto the market is stabilised, the Minister said.

He again said that the meeting is intended to birth measures that will see to the halting of overpricing of forex, to enable businessmen and women who genuinely need forex for trading to get access to them at reasonable rates.

With so much speculations going on about forex rates, which has skyrocketed the dollar and brought the cedi to its knees, Mr Oppong Nkrumah expressed confidence that the meeting can be used to dispel those speculations and direct Ghanaians where to obtain knowledge on actual forex rates.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah noted that the overall objective of the meeting will be for the three groups to find longer lasting measures to ensure that forex trading is stabilised in the country.

He, however, noted that Ghanaians should expect more inflow of forex when the Ghana Cocobod completes work on the Cocoa Syndicated loan, following the signing of the $1.13 billion loan to finance the purchase of cocoa beans for the 2022/2023 crop season.

The government also imposed a moratorium on official vehicle purchases and foreign travel without prior approval and introduced a 50% cut in and fuel coupon allocations for all political appointees and heads of government institutions, including SOEs.

But while the President and his cabinet members busy themselves with how to resolve the current economic crisis, on Thursday Former President John Dramani Mahama is also expected to deliver an address on matters concerning the economic.

The information was made public by the former President’s aide, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, in a Twitter post yesterday.

“John Mahama speaks on Ghana’s collapsed economy and the unprecedented hardships sweeping across the land and the way forward, on Thursday 27 October, at 7pm,”she wrote on her page

Jomoro MP lost Ivorien nationality the day she took Ghanaian nationality -Witness

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KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Toffey

The Sekondi High Court presided over by Justice Richmond Osei Hwere has fixed November 21, 2022 to give judgment in the case in which the eligibility of the Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Toffey, is being challenged by one Joshua Kwofie.

The decision of the court followed the appearance of the last witness in the case, Dadje Rodrique, an Ivorian lawyer.

The latter testified on behalf of the defendant – Dorcas Toffey – in court yesterday. The following is what transpired in court when the Ivorian lawyer was cross examined.

Question (Q): How do you know the 1st respondent, Dorcas Toffey.
Answer (Ans): I got to know her when one day she came to my office with her Lawyer, and that was the first time I saw her.

Q: When was this?
Ans: It was last week.

Q: Did you vote in the 2020 parliamentary election of her constituency in Ghana
Ans: I have never voted in any election on any territory in Ghana, not to even talk of election in Jomoro

Q: So I will be right in saying that the matters of facts stated in your witness statement are fact that you supposedly acquired from 1st respondent. Not so?
Ans: It is true I am here as a Witness, but I am not an ordinary Lawyer in Cote D’Ivoire and my name is very important to me, so is my reputation and to me it will be dishonest if a client who is not a Lawyer to direct me to write my witness statement.

My Lord, she gave me the facts in the witness statement but she didn’t write the WS for me. I prepared the WS on the laws of Ivory Coast.

Q: Under Ivorien law, loss of Ivorian nationality can be by various modes. Is that not so?

Ans: Yes. There are two ways by which one can lose his or her nationality per Ivorian laws. There is distinction between renunciation of nationality and losing one’s nationality. The losing of one’s nationality is under Title 4 of the laws of nationality.

The title 5 speaks on renunciation of one’s nationality. In the title 4, Article 48 says that when one acquires a foreign nationality, he or she automatically loses his or her Ivorian nationality.

In this case, 1st Respondent acquiring Ghanaian nationality automatically makes her lose her Ivorian nationality. That she had obtained Ghanaian nationality, she lost her Ivorian nationality.

The only exception under Title 4, Article 48, is that when a young person is enlisted in the reserved army, I can be called to join the army when the country is at war.

Those in reserved list who have lost their Ivorian nationality by taking another nationality, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the Ministry of Defense decides whether or not the person can regain Ivorian nationality.

The Title 5 speaks in the voluntary renunciation of Ivorian nationality-the principle is simple, where one renounces Ivorian nationality, you write a letter to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) saying you will want to renounce your Ivorian nationality.

Article 57, 59, 60 and 62 provides for one to send a letter to the MOJ to obtain registration within six months. So the MOJ has within six months to decide to object to your registration and Article 62 puts finishing touches on that.

In this case, 1st Respondent sent her renunciation letter in January 2019 and she received her registration letter in March 2021. She wrote a second letter to confirm her renunciation of Ivorian nationality and received the registration on 12th April 2021.

She asked the MOJ to give her a certificate to prove that she has renounced her Ivorian nationality in a second letter and the MOJ gave a written answer in April 2021, entitled attestation.

She lost her Ivorien nationality the day she took Ghanaian nationality in a letter addressed by the Ivorian government in the attestation.

Q: Have you seen the letter you say 1st Respondent wrote in March 2021
Ans: Yes, and in my country when the MOJ confirms receipt of letter, it is enough.

Q: When did you see the 1st Respondent’s 2021 letter?
Ans: I saw it in my office when the Lawyer called
Q: And you can confirm that the information contained in the attestation is correct
Ans: For me it is correct.

Q: Now, Title 4 of the Ivorian nationality code covers article 48-56. Not so?
Ans: Yes
Q: Title 5 covers article 57-76, Not so?
Ans: Right.

Q: Title 4 labelled laws and forfeiture of Ivorian nationality. Not so?
Ans: Yes
Q: Title 4 in chapter 1 provide for the loss of Ivorian nationality by renunciation. Is that not so?
Ans: No. it’s only the loss of Ivorian nationality.

Q: Now if you read article 48 (2), which is under Chapter One of Title 4, it deals with loss of Ivorian nationality by renunciation. Is that not so?
Ans: It Is wrong. Article 48, 53, it is only by loss of Ivorian nationality by taking another nationality. There is no renunciation in this chapter.
Q: Article 54, 56 under Chapter 2 of Title 4 provides for how the person, who is losing his or her Ivorian nationality.
Ans: It is wrong.

Q: Lose Ivorian nationality by forfeiture. Is that not so?
Ans: That is so my Lord

Q: Title 5 provides for the steps that must be taken when there is acquisition or loss of Ivorian nationality. Is that not so?
Ans: You are completely wrong. Title 5 is a case of for voluntary renunciation by Ivorian nationality. There are three situations. Title 4 chapter 1 deals with loss of Ivorian nationality by taking another. In this chapter……..

Q: For both article 4 and 5, there must be a declaration by the person losing his or her Ivorian nationality.
Ans: It is wrong. Title 4 chapter 1, which is losing Ivorian nationality by taking another, you don’t have to write any letter and there is no article that provides that you will have to write a letter. It is automatic.

Q: So if I understand you, your understanding of article 48 is that the loss of Ivorian nationality can be by a word of mouth and not by writing?
Ans: If you take another nationality and the government knows this information, you lose your nationality.

Q: The declaration has to be made before a presiding judge, a magistrate of the jurisdiction, the Declarant has a residence. Is that not so?
Ans: The law does not provide any conditions for declaration
Q: That declaration when made has to be registered by the MOJ. Is that not so?

Ans: In chapter 4 article 48, there are no conditions
Q: Ivorian law under Title 4 also makes provision in article 49 and 52 for the loss of Ivorian nationality by an Ivorian who has dual nationality. Is that not so?
Ans: You cannot miss the two articles. It is separate situations and Article 49 answers Article 48.

Q: So you agree with me that both Articles 49 and 52 deal with the situation where an Ivorian has dual nationality or professes to have dual nationality?
Ans: There is slight difference between both articles.

Q: For both article 49 and 52, there must be a decree. Is that not so?
Ans: Yes that is right.
Q: And you are aware that the 1st Respondent has for a long time had a Ghanaian passport?
Ans: I don’t know.

Q: Are you also aware that 1st Respondent has been a Ghanaian since 1972.
Ans: I don’t know.

Q: I am putting it to you that 1st Respondent has been a dual national of Ghana from 1972. So your opinion about the state of Ivorian law in relation to her circumstances is incorrect.
Ans; By Article 48, you lose your Ivorian nationality by taking another nationality.

Q: Did the 1st Respondent show you any decree by Ivorian authorities in respect of the laws of Ivorian nationality?
Ans: No, because she does not need a decree. The decree is in article 52, 49 and she does not fall within that category of the two articles.

Q: I am putting it to you finally that you, your own understanding of Title 4,5 in the Ivorian nationality code is wrong.

Ans: It is correct.
After the cross examination, the Electoral Commission (EC) Counsel also led his witness into the box, where his witness statement was adopted by the court as evidence in chief.

Lands Ministry orders registration of excavators

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Mr Samuel Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has directed all owners, operators and/or users of excavators in the country to register them within seven days in the Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assembly (MMDA) where they are being used.

In a statement signed by the sector minister, John Jinapor and released in Accra yesterday, it warned that the deadline for the registration is November 2, 2022 and that at the time of registration, the owners must specify the purpose for which the excavator is being used or to be used and the area where the excavator is being used or will be used.

The following is the full press statement;

PRESS RELEASE FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL MINING: REGISTRATION OF ALL EXCAVATORS WITH METROPOLITAN, MUNICIPAL AND DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

WHEREAS illegal mining activities, popularly known as Galamsey, continues to pose a threat to our natural environment, particularly water bodies and forests;

WHEREAS following the National Consultative Dialogue, held on 14th and 15″ of April, 2021 it was resolved by paragraph 13 of the Communique issued after the Conference, that “the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources will take appropriate steps, legislative and or executive action, as the case may be, to give effect to the set of measures arising from this Dialogue and approved by government ;

WHEREAS most of the devastation to water bodies and forests are Caused by excavators used in illegal mining activities and the floating platform popularly referred to as “Changfang”;

WHEREAS Government has placed a ban on the manufacture, sale, use and/or dealings in the floating platform known as “Changfang”;
WHEREAS by the Minerals and Mining (Mineral Operations — Tracking of Earthmoving and Mining Equipment) Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2404), the Minerals Commission is empowered to register and track all earthmoving and mining equipment used in mining operations; and

WHEREAS Government deems it expedient to register all excavators in the country to be able to determine those used for mining operations, for the purposes of L.I. 2404, NOW THEREFORE in exercise of the powers conferred on the Minister responsible for Mines by section 100(1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the provisions of L.I. 2404, the following directives are issued:

1. All owners, operators and/or users of excavators in the country shall, within seven days of this notice, excluding weekends and statutory holidays, register their excavators with the Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assembly (MMDA) with jurisdiction over the area where the excavator is located;
2. For the avoidance of doubt, the deadline for the registration of all excavators in the country is by close of business on
Wednesday, 2nd November, 2022;
3. An owner, operator and/or user of an excavator shall, at the time of registration, specify the purpose for which the excavator is being used or to be used and the area where the excavator is being used or will be used, as the case may be;
4. MMDAs shall, as part of the registration, record the following:
a. the name and particulars of the owner of the excavator;
b. the date the excavator was brought into the country;
c. the registration number of the excavator;
d. the chassis number of the excavator;
e. the purposes for which the excavator was brought into the country;
f. the area where the excavator is expected to be used;
g. the name and particulars of the current operator and/or user of the excavator; and
h. any other particulars the MMDA may deem necessary;
5. Any excavator not registered in accordance with this directive, whether found at a mining site or any other operational site or elsewhere, shall be seized and the necessary legal steps taken to confiscate same to the State;
6. The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, has been formally notified of these measures, and has directed all MMDAs to ensure strict compliance with same;
7. Notice is hereby given to the general public, and particularly owners, operators and/or users of excavators, as well as all MMDAs to ensure strict compliance with these directives;
8. The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources wishes to reassure the general public that it will continue to take the necessary measures to protect our natural environment, particularly, water bodies, forests and lands, in a transparent and sustainable manner, anchored on integrity.

SIGNED
HON. SAMUEL A. JINAPOR
MP , MINISTER

Adansihene kicks against the use of English to teach in schools

By
RICHARD OWUSU-AKYAW
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Managing Director of AGA, Dr Eric Asubonteng,speaking at the event

The paramount Chief of Adansi in the Ashanti region, Opagyakotwere Bonsra Afriyie II, has kicked against the use of English to teach in lower primary schools because it does not fully allow the children to exhibit their cognitive powers.

Opagyakotwere Bonsra Afriyie II, the paramount Chief of Adansi , speaking at the matriculation of the third edition of AGA’s Community Youth Apprentice Programme which was held at Obuasi-Ashanti

Speaking at the matriculation of the third batch of the AngloGold Ashanti’s Community Youth Apprentice Programme, which was held at Obuasi recently, he contended that the use of English language has deprived many Ghanaians from expressing themselves at examination halls.

According to Nana Bonsra Afriyie II, prior to the arrival of the Europeans, our forefathers were speaking their native languages, but today we have rather relegated it to the background and are rather speaking the white man’s language.

To him, most students are today adopting foul means to pass their exams because they don’t properly understand the English Language.

He expressed appreciation to the AGA for putting up such a programme and urged the 101 trainees to take their studies seriously, since the world has changed and that one could only survive with the skills that the person possesses.

The Managing Director for AGA, Dr Eric Assubonteng, on his part noted that the programme forms part of the ten year Socio-Economic Development Programme (SEDP) of AGA.

Section of the trainees seated at the 3rd matriculation ceremony for Community Youth Apprentice Programme at AGA, Obuasi.

According to him, the trainees would be trained in areas such as Welding and Fabrication, Mechanical and Electrical Technician with AGA bearing the financial costs of the training.

According to him, since the commencement of the programme, AGA had trained 128 youth in the areas of welding and fabrication, auto mechanics, auto electrician, forklift operation and grader operation.He urged the youth to take the opportunity seriously and learn the hard way.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Ghana Chamber of Mines, Sulemana Koney on his part noted that when it comes to human resources, trained skills are crucial, underscoring that there are categories of expatriates who are allowed to come and work in the sector.

Koney called for collaboration among stakeholders to develop the human capital development on the basic technical skills.

‘Nsein & Lower Axim traditional areas not sitting on time bomb’

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, paramount chief of Nsein

The Paramount chief of Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Council (LTAN), Awulae Agyefi Kwame II has asked his counterpart from Lower Axim, AwulaeAttibrukusu III to rather respond to a chieftaincy petition pending before the Judicial Committee of the Western Regional House of Chiefs (WRHC) over the controversy surrounding the Awuza family stool affairs if he has any defence, instead of beating war drums and creating the impression that both paramountcies (Nsein and Lower Axim) were sitting on a time bomb with respect to the controversy surrounding the Awuza stool affairs.

The people who attended the press conference at Nsein

It would be recalled that at a press conference held jointly by the Lower Axim Traditional Council and the Awuza family on October 7, 2022 the two asked the President, the National Security and the Interior Ministry to intervene to avert a possible clash between the two paramontcies over the said parcel of land known as Otupai.

Both Lower Axim and the Awuza family at the said press conference warned Nsein to tread cautiously over the land, else there would be bloodbath between the two paramountcies.

“The Awuza family of Otupai Lower Axim will, therefore, further appeal to the president of the Republic of Ghana and the respective legally established agencies to take our petition submitted to their tables very seriously, as their refusal will not yield result between Axim and Nsein communities,” they said.

But addressing a press conference in reaction to the Lower Axim issue, the Paramount chief of Lower Town Axim and Nsein, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II asked,

“On the issue of the Awuza stool affairs is AwulaeAttibrukusu, honestly saying that he is unaware of this chieftaincy case pending before the judicial committee of the Western Regional House of chiefs for determination, of which he and Nana Awuza III are parties”?.

Agyefi Kwame, whose statement was read on his behalf at the conference, said the entire matter, which was the subject of Attibrukusu press conference were all issues pending before the judicial committee of the WRHC,in a case filed on October 29, 2018 by the president of the LTAN.

The parties to the said petition (suit), he said, were both Attibrukusu III and Nana Awuza III of both Lower Axim and Awuza family respectively.

“We challenge AwulaeAttibrukusu to stop beating war drums and be truthful to himself and law abiding, he should respond to the case before the judicial committee of the WRHC on all the matters he has taken to town through his press conference,” he said.

Nana NyanKpanyinli V, Sanaahene of LTAN, who read the statement on behalf of the Council, made it clear that the insulting press conference held by Attibrukusu contained falsehood and that would not deter them from asserting their rights and true heritage, in accordance with written facts and recorded history of our people.

“We make this call to assure the good people of Ghana that we will continue to use all lawful means to address the falsehoods published by AwulaeAttibrukusu to defend and protect the true heritage of Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Area”.

On the issue of whether or not the Awuza family had never served the LTAN, Agyefi Kwame responded in the affirmative, by giving a breakdown as to why Nana Awuza II, decided not to serve his paramountcy again.

He explained that nineteen destoolment charges were levelled against Nana Awuza II by his own family members.

The case was before the LTAN for adjudication and determination by his divisional chiefs.

According to Agyefi Kwame, Nana Awuza failed to file defence to the nineteen destoolment charges as filed by the petitioners. He was consequently found guilty per the charges and was destooled in absentia.

“So it is never true that the Awuza family had never served the Nsein paramountcy”, he said and   showed a document to show that indeed the claim by Nana Awuza III that his family had never served the Nsein paramountcy was false.

President’s recent A/R tour was a miserable spectacle, empty –NDC

By
ERNEST BEST ANANE
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Abass Nurudeen (left), Ashanti Regional NDC Communication Officer addressing the media

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said the recent tour of the Ashanti region by the President, Nana Addo Danwah Akufo-Addo was nothing but a miserable spectacle and an empty tour.

Abass Nurudeen, the Ashanti Regional Communication Officer of the NDC, addressing a news conference last Thursday said the said four-day tour was underwhelming, as the President only went about inspecting and commissioning mediocre and mundane projects, which ordinarily should be the work of DCEs and other government officials.

“To imagine that the President was driven in a convoy of nearly 70 V8s to commission a magistrate court building at Toase, sums up what miserable spectacle of a tour it was”, the NDC communicator noted.

He referred to an instance when President Mahama and the NDC constructed a brand new High Court building at Obuasi in 2016, which was commissioned  by  the then Regional Minister and MCE for Obuasi, saying this instance was the difference between the Nation-Builder, President John Dramani Mahama and the Family Builder, Mr. William Akufo-Addo.

According to Abass Nurudeen, whereas President Mahama built legacy projects in the Ashanti Region, such as the $234 million Kejetia Central Market project, the largest investment in the history of the Ashanti Region, the Kumasi Airport Phase II, Rattray Park, Konongo-Kumawu-Kwahu Water Project, the 500-bed Military Hospital at Afari, the 250-bed Regional Hospital at Sewua, among others, President Akufo-Addo has very little to show for all his unprecedented

borrowing and the huge votes he enjoys from the people of the region.

The NDC spokesman noted that the popularity of the New Patriotic Party and President Akufo-Addo is so low in their own stronghold that, they have resorted to emulating the NDC’s hugely successful membership drive in the Ashanti Region, in order to try and revive their sinking fortunes.

“For a party (NPP) that garnered as much as 1.8 million votes out of a total of 2.5 million valid votes cast in the 2020 elections to be conducting a membership registration drive in their supposed comfort zone two years down the line, is clear indication of their waning popularity in the region,” he said.

According to him, President Akufo-Addo, being the luckiest President Ghana has ever had, with the accessibility of over GH500 billion in terms of revenue from loans, taxes, receipts from oil, gold, cocoa and other natural resources, it was the expectation that the President would have used his tour as a golden opportunity to showcase the achievements of his government in the Ashanti Region to the whole world.

To him, the lack of it has left many wondering what exactly the President came to do in the Ashanti Region in four days, which recorded widespread discontent, disaffection and in some cases outright anger, as evidenced in hooting and jeers.

The NDC communication officer also pointed to the very demeaning remarks by the President, during a live radio interview on Otec FM, in reaction to a request from the 85,000 voters of Kwabre East, concerning the nature of their roads, an indication the President does not care a hoot about the plight of the people who gave him the power.

The NDC bemoaned the President’s appropriation of the credit and glory for projects that were commenced by the erstwhile Mahama/NDC government and mentioned commissioning of a 330KV transmission line from Kumasi to Bolgatanga, to facilitate the sale of power to Burkina

Faso, which project commenced in 2016, with funding the French Development Agency (AFD) with a facility of $174 million, in addition to a European Union grant of $5 million dedicated to project Management and Supervision.

“This project was one of the handiworks of the visionary nation-builder, John Dramani Mahama, for Ghana’s energy sector, which ensured that we had enough generation capacity in order to export the rest for cash”, he disclosed.

He said it was sad that after delaying the completion date of the project, which was supposed to be 2018, the very people who accused President Mahama of generating so much megawatt of power than needed are now busily claiming credit for commissioning mere transmission

lines that were just to aid the realisation of the bigger vision to export power to neighbouring Burkina Faso.

Abass Nurudeen also pointed to the commissioning of the 60-bed Konongo district hospital which was started by the Mahama/NDC government, while he neglected other key projects initiated in the area of health by the erstwhile Mahama/NDC government to help address the critical health needs of the people of Ashanti.

He mentioned some of these projects as the 500-bed military hospital at Afari, the 250-bed Regional Hospital at Sewua, the 120-bed Kumawu District Hospital and the 120-bed Fomena District Hospital.

On the sod cutting ceremony for the Suame Interchange project, the NDC communicator said after claiming to have constructed 13 interchanges across the country, without a single one in their stronghold, the sod cutting at Suame by the President was nothing more than a face saving gimmick, with no real intent.

Abass Nurudeen said having failed to give any priority to the completion of the Sofoline Interchange, which started in May 2008, there is no gainsaying that this Suame Interchange project will not see the light of day before the eventual exit of the NPP from office

in 2024.

According to the NDC, the sod cutting ceremony was in response to the recent anger that was vented on the Majority Leader and MP for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, whose constituents accused him of doing very little about the deplorable state of roads in the Suame

constituency.

The NDC also observed that President Akufo-Addo has failed the fight against illegal mining scourge, which is very dominant in the Ashanti region.

They noted that the wanton destruction of the environment through the activities of galamsey is being spearheaded by officials in his government, including some MMDCE’s and other high-ranking officials of the New Patriotic Party.

The opposition NDC said for President Akufo-Addo to have paraded before the Overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and promise to tackle galamsey is an insult of the highest degree and called on the President to stop the display of hypocrisy and outright disrespect for the people of Ashanti region.

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