Elsewhere, AC Milan rose to third in the table with three goals coming in the final five minutes of their 3-1 win at Empoli.
The champions were leading 1-0 going into injury time after Ante Rebic broke the deadlock in the 79th minute.
Nedim Bajrami netted an equaliser for Empoli in the 92nd minute only for Fode Ballo-Toure to restore Milan’s lead two minutes later.
And Rafeal Leao added a third right before the full-time whistle as Milan eased to their fifth league win of the season.
Milan sit level on points with second-placed Atalanta and three points behind league leaders Napoli, who extended their lead at the top of Serie A with a 3-1 win at home to Torino on Saturday.
Chris Smalling has scored two goals for Roma this season
Chris Smalling headed a 78th-minute winner as Roma came from behind to beat Inter Milan at the San Siro and jump to fourth in the Serie A table.
Smalling rose highest to nod in Lorenzo Pellegrini’s free-kick and ensure Roma beat their rivals for the first time since February 2017.
Federico Dimarco had opened the scoring for Inter after 30 minutes.
But the visitors were level nine minutes later through Paulo Dybala’s volley from an acute angle.
Roma’s win saw them go to within four points of leaders Napoli, while Inter remain in seventh, eight points off the top having lost four of their eight Serie A matches so far this season.
Inter had had the better of the game’s chances overall. Hakan Çalhanoglu hit the bar from a free-kick in the 62nd minute, while former Roma striker Eden Dzeko had thought he had opened the scoring in the 11th minute only for his strike to be ruled out by VAR.
Palace felt Thiago Silva should have been sent off for a deliberate handball
Conor Gallagher returned to Selhurst Park to haunt Crystal Palace with a stunning late winner to give Graham Potter a controversial first victory as Chelsea boss. Gallagher, whose impressive form for Palace last season earned him his England debut, was introduced by Potter in the 76th minute for Kai Havertz.
And with the game seemingly petering out for a draw, the 22-year-old midfielder nutmegged Jean-Philippe Mateta before curling a shot into Vicente Guaita’s top corner.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also scored his first Chelsea goal on his Premier League return after Odsonne Edouard had poked Palace into an early lead.
However, there was controversy surrounding Aubameyang’s goal as it was set up by Thiago Silva, who Palace felt should have been sent off for a deliberate handball which denied Jordan Ayew a possible goalscoring opportunity.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says his players are “hungry” for more after they maintained their position at the Premier League summit by overpowering north London rivals Tottenham in an outstanding display at Emirates Stadium.
His side were superior throughout and Spurs’ cause was not helped by Emerson Royal’s red card for a second-half foul on Gabriel Martinelli.
Arsenal made a fast start and took a deserved lead when Thomas Partey side-footed a precise finish into the top corner from 25 yards after 20 minutes.
Spurs were handed a lifeline before the break when Gabriel’s foul on Richarlison gave Harry Kane the opportunity to score his 14th goal in 18 derby games and his 100th goal away from home in the Premier League from the penalty spot.
Arsenal were gifted the lead once again when Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris fumbled badly to allow Gabriel Jesus to score four minutes after the break.
Conte was attempting to make three changes when Granit Xhaka effectively ended the contest with a low finish past Lloris from inside the area.
Erling Haaland has scored his third home hat-trick in a row
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland became the first player to score three successive Premier League home hat-tricks as Manchester United were humiliated in the derby at Etihad Stadium.
Phil Foden also scored a treble as City closed the gap on pace-setters Arsenal to one point. This was a brutal reality check for United after their recent improvement, as the reigning Premier League champions ran riot to illustrate the gulf in class between the teams.
City’s lightning start was rewarded when Foden swept home Bernardo Silva’s cross after eight minutes before Haaland inevitably joined the action with a header from a corner 11 minutes before half-time.
As United subsided, Haaland slid in a third then turned provider to set up a simple finish for Foden before the break.
United’s new signing Antony struck a superb goal from 25 yards to pull one back but it only provoked City to up the tempo again, Haaland thumping home his third and then again setting up Foden for City’s sixth.
Anthony Martial’s late goal for United was greeted in near silence, as was his added-time penalty.
The government has assured Ghanaians that the financial sector of the country will be protected in the negotiation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for economic support.
According to the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta the country needs a viable domestic financial system to support its development programme, and will do everything possible to protect the sector.
“Therefore, everything must and will be done to protect our financial sector and there must be room for a win-win conversation through extensive stakeholder engagement, with both our domestic and external investors,” Ken Ofori-Atta stated, whilst addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday.
This assurance has allayed public fears that the IMF programme being negotiated by the government will cripple the financial sector, especially the banks.
According to Mr. Ofori-Atta, a five-member Committee, consisting of prominent financial service professionals will lead to extensive stakeholder engagements across all the key segments of the financial sector.
These engagements will add to ongoing activities with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), social partners (labour unions, employers and FBOs), academia, industry professionals and the leadership of Parliament, with the minister assuring that “government shall continue to actively engage all stakeholders in a clear and transparent manner, as we seek to fast-track the IMF negotiation process.”
IMF PROGRAMME IN BUDGET
The media were informed that the government and the IMF on Monday, September 26, 2022, began formal negotiations for a Fund-supported programme and that discussions will cover a period of 10 days.
The Finance Minister said the negotiations with IMF, which started on Monday, this week, will be fast-tracked to ensure that key aspects of the programme are reflected in the 2023 Annual Budget Statement.
“Government is committed to ensuring that a comprehensive package is negotiated with the aim of restoring and sustaining macroeconomic stability, ensuring durable and inclusive growth, and promoting social protection,” he remarked.
7-PILLAR PROGRAMME
The reporters were told that the IMF programme hinged on seven pillars – debt sustainability; fiscal consolidation; strengthening monetary and exchange rate policies; and building strong financial institutions.
The rest are Macro-Critical Structural Reforms; Maintaining Peace and Security; and Economic Growth and Transformation.
Meanwhile, the government said it has not reached any agreement with the Fund on the parameters of any debt operations, “as we are in the process of completing the debt sustainability analysis.”
Read the Finance Minister’s full statement on pages 8 and 9.
The Vice President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, has indicated that though Ghana wants to contribute to reducing emissions, fossil fuel will be part of the country’s energy mix in the short term, while steps are put in place to rope in renewable energy in the long term.
According to the Vice President, government is indeed committed to achieving the net zero carbon emissions by 2070, but steps must be taken to accelerate the production and utilisation of Ghana’s oil and gas reserves, hence the decision to use fossil in the short time.
“…What this means is that even though we want to contribute to reducing emissions, we are of the view that a balance must be struck and maintained in the context of our social, economic and environmental requirements.
“So fossil fuels, particularly natural gas, will continue to be part of Ghana’s energy mix in the short term, whilst strategies will be put in place to increase the share of renewable energy in the mix, from medium to long term,” the Vice President said.
Mr Bawumia was speaking at the 5th edition of the Ghana International Petroleum Conference (GhIPCon), held under the theme: “Energy Transition in the African Petroleum Downstream Context: Prospects, Challenges and the Way Forward.”
Petroleum downstream industry players at the conference
The program, which commenced yesterday and will end on Friday, September 30, 2022 has the overall objective of focusing on the readiness of Africa’s petroleum downstream on transitioning.
Ghana is set to transition from the use of fossil fuel to renewable energy by 2070.
Government has in response to this target set up the National Energy Transition Committee (NETC), which aim is to develop a national energy transition policy.
The NETC is expected to set up national objectives and targets for the energy transition and prescribe policies and measures for achieving these targets.
It will, in addition, assess the benefits, risks and costs of the global energy transition and determine risks mitigation measures, along with cross-cutting issues that must be addressed.
Despite these measures by government, the Vice President explained at yesterday’s conference that in the quest to transition, a balance must be stuck and maintained in the context of Ghana’s social, economic and environmental requirements.
“…We ought to be forward thinking in a rapidly changing world, not only in terms of energy transition, but in terms of all aspects of the energy-mix”, he said and questioned how industry players intend to insulate the energy sector from global economic shocks, especially, considering how the Russia-Ukraine war has affected the energy sector in the last few months.
He, therefore, called on industry players at the conference to use the opportunity to deliberate on how governments in the West Africa region can fully participate in the energy transition process, while remaining faithful to the needs and aspirations of their citizens.
He appealed to the NPA to ensure that it implements the recommendations that will be reached and not leave it on the shelves to gather dust.
The Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mr Mustapha Hamid, on his part said that the Authority is committed to reducing the emissions from the energy products. This has culminated in the reduction of sulphur content in transport and industrial fuels from a maximum of 5000ppm to a maximum of 50ppm, as well as the implementation of the Cylinder Recirculation Model policy.
He, however, admitted that there will be pressure on government’s spending in the country’s quest to transition from fossil to renewable energy because government would still have to ensure that the diversification process meets global needs. He, therefore, called on all industry players to intensify their efforts in the transitioning process.
“The reality of fulfilling the energy transition commitment is that there will be further pressure on government spending to ensure that our diversification process meets global needs. It is, therefore, imperative that we intensify our efforts,” the NPA boss said.
The Minister for Energy, Mr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who had a speech read on his behalf also said that Ghana remains committed both to an energy transition agenda and the development of its petroleum industry including the downstream sector and believes that the way forward is “to strike an important and fair balance between the two, without compromising our determination to maximize the benefits we need for our industrialization.”
Other industry players who spoke at the event were the Chief Executive, Africa Refiners & Distributors Association (ADRA), Mr Anibor Kragha, CEO, Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) and others.
The retired judges in group photograph with the Chief Justice
The Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) has bid two justices of the Supreme Court – Agnes Dordzie and Justice Clemence Honyenuga – and ten others of the lower courts farewell after many years of service.
The Association sent off the retiring members amid cheering, acknowledgements, and presentation of plagues and envelopes at their annual conference held in Accra yesterday, under the theme: “Maintaining the Integrity of the Judiciary amidst the challenges of Democratic rights and Freedom.”
The retirement of the judges was announced by the AMJG President, Justice Henry A. Kwofie, while reading his address to welcome the members to the Conference.
He said the justices of the High Court going on retirement were Irene Charity Larbie and Merley Wood of the Court of Appeal, Fred Awuah, Nathaniel Osam, Rebecca Sittle, and Cecilia Donchebe.
The rest are Robert Agleze, Anthony Abiri Abebrese, Korkor Owusu Achaw and Seth Alafa of the Circuit and the District courts.
Justice Kwofie told the members that the package presented to the retiring judges this year had been increased, and that the decision was also based on the number of years they had severed and contributed to the Association.
According to him, the pervious practice where long serving members were bracketed with those who had served as judges and paid dues only for a short term, were unfair, adding, “We have also increased the amount paid to members in the event of bereavement.”
His Lordship Justice Anin Yeboah also announced to the members that the event was the last he would be attending as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, and thanked them for their contribution for justice delivery in the country.
He urged the members of the Association to use the occasion as an opportunity to take stock of their performances over the year, and identify where they fell short and strategise to secure the future and perform better.
Infrastructure development
Although Justice Kwofie was thankful for the infrastructural development being undertaken by the government, the he decried the deplorable state of the Cape Coast Court Complex, which urgently needed fixing, as well as the Wa Court Complex, which had also been abandoned.
Being particular about the Cape Coast Court Complex, he said: “I had the opportunity to visit one of my colleagues who works in the building this year in June, when it happened to be raining and although I am aware the court was in [a] deplorable state, I was shocked by what I saw; bowls and pans in various corners where the water was dripping to the judge’s office and [the] court room.
“It was definitely unacceptable, and no matter how determined you are to work [in] such an environment, [it] is not conducive to hard work. Something seriously needs to be done urgently about the Cape Coast Court Complex,” he lamented.
He noted that building more across the country requires an increase in the budget of the Judiciary to enable it purchase the materials the Association members needed to discharge their duties.
The Chief Justice gave an assurance that the government had not turned a blind eye on the deplorable conditions of the Cape Coast Court Complex and others that needed renovation, and that something was being done about them.
“We know that the working conditions of some of you, especially in the semi-urban areas are disappointing. We are working to improve the situation. We are investing more resources and refurbishing more court infrastructure including accommodation while we construct new ones,” he assured.
He added that the Service was making efforts to improve the application of technology to the work in the court rooms, and that they were equally working to acquire funding the World Bank for the expansion of the E-Justice system.
The Media General, TV3 Network Limited and their Morning Show icon, Johnny Hughes, might be paying the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Kwame Asuah Takyi, GH¢20 million in the event they are found guilty in a law suit brought against them by the latter.
In the writ of summons filed on September 27, this year, at the Accra High Court by the Comptroller-General, Mr. Takyi, is seeking, among other things, GH¢20 million damages from the defendants, due to defamatory statements made against him.
He averred that Johnny Hughes, who is an employee, servant and/or agent of Media General and TV3, between August 24 and September 23, 2022, on a Morning Show segment called “Johnnies’ Bite,” made certain defamatory statements to the effect that the Comptroller-General was allegedly engaging in corrupt practices, as well as abusing his office.
Some of the supposed utterances captured in the writ include the Comptroller-General was indulging in visa and permit malpractices, for which he was once punished. For which, the Comptroller-General was interdicted from 2013 to 2017.
According to the writ, Mr. Hughes also accused the plaintiff of painting the Service with political colours, and as such, Mr. Takyi recruits political immigration officers, protocol immigration officer, leaving out proper immigration officers.
It further quoted the third defendant of saying that there were some senior officers at the top who were benefitting, perhaps, from the rot in the Service, and such persons did not want somebody to go, because once that was done, their cover would be blown.
Following the aforementioned statement, the writ alleged that the 3rd defendant made an emphatic statement that “… the corruption must stop; Takyi must go.”
It continued: “… are you still aware that those receipt issuing syndicate, the corruption, the money under the table like Nana Addo spoke about, which is why you have centralised all permits renewal for foreigners at Assistant Commissioner of Immigration for six years, and has not been promoted, meanwhile, there is four year convention or rule if you ask any uniformed person they may tell you, unless, of course, there are certain circumstances…?
Johnny was said to have accused the plaintiff of failing to attend the funeral rites of DCOI Peter Claver Nantuo, the GIS Volta Regional Commander, whom he claimed was known to be the Comptroller-General’s enemy, and as a result, he replaced the deceased while battling for his life at the Ridge Hospital.
Johnny is alleged to have further accused the Comptroller-General of supervising an Immigration Service, now known to be the second most corrupt institutions in the country.
To add insult to injuries, the plaintiff said the 3rd defendant said: “…in a regimented space there is order, there’s discipline. Is that the kind of discipline you teach your officer? To molest people who are going about their normal duties. Did you molest Aisha Huang? When you were busy giving her whatever it is on Sunday.”
Additionally, it said on the Johnnies’ Bite show, the plaintiff was accused of promoting persons within his secretariat over and above their seniors, and to the extent that he promoted a family member twice in a day.
In the suit, Johnny is reported to have said if Mr. Takyi dared him, he would be compelled to open more cans of worms to prove that the Comptroller-General was corrupt, used his position to settle personal scores with his officers; used the GIS to make money for himself, and had a questionable character.
The law suit, which may serve as a fine opportunity for the television icon and his employers to prove their case, is seeking an order directed at the defendants to retract and expunge or remove from their website any records and archives related to all the defamatory publications and statements related to the plaintiff.
It also wants an order directed at the defendants to remove or pull down from all search engines or links from which the alleged defamatory publications and statements regarding the plaintiff were accessible.
It also wants an order to be directed at the defendants to retract defamatory statements and render an apology to the plaintiff, while an injunction should be placed on the defendants from making or publishing similar defamatory statements about the plaintiff.
The plaintiff averred that the statements made by the 3rd defendant on the Media General and TV3 platform were false and a calculated attempt to disparage him and lower his hard earned reputation in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society.
The defendants have been given eight days after service of the summons to enter appearance.
After missing out on the last edition of the FIFA World Cup in Russia four years ago, the rest of the world, and the Continent of Africa in particular, would be expecting the Black Stars to make a strong impact as they go to Qatar for the Mundial in November.
This is highly obvious in the face of the footprints and enviable feat the Stars have achieved in their last three appearances from 2006, which marked their maiden appearance, through 2010 to 2014.
During the maiden appearance in Germany, the four times AFCON champions were drawn in a group of death, made up of Italy, USA and the Czech Republic.
The Azuries disciplined the debutants with a painful defeat, but the Stars made amends and proved their mettle by beating both USA and the Czech to progress to the next stage of the competition.
Their impressive achievements in the tournament put a spotlight on the Stars, and raised high the flag of Ghana around the world.
Appearing for a second time four years later in South Africa, the Black Stars made a greater impact with a flamboyant display that nearly propelled them to the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Having gained much experience from their previous two appearances, hopes were high for the third consecutive appearance in Brazil. However, the Stars could not secure a single win in a group made up of USA, Portugal and Germany.
Some bizarre and off the pitch circumstances characterised their campaign. Though Ghana managed a respectable 2-2 score line against the mechanical Germans, who eventually won the cup, the off the field distractions led to the Stars bowing out in a shambolic manner.
All these antecedents are illustrations that the Black Stars of Ghana have not been mere participants in the previous world cup appearances, but they have always been a real force to reckon with.
The Stars failed to qualify for the last edition of the world cup in Russia. Perhaps, diminishing returns has set in and this was to be expected, as most of the experienced players were fading out for others to take over.
Following that disastrous qualifying campaign, adequate preparations were made and the Stars qualified at the expense of old foes, the Super Eagles of Nigeria. The zeal with which the players sacrificed their all and played their hearts out to beat Nigeria to qualify did not just endear them to the hearts of Ghanaians, but it also brought back the love for the gallant Black Stars.
Like several thousands of disappointed Ghanaians who watched the Stars in the last two international friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua, The Chronicle is equally concerned with their inconsistent performance.
In the first pre-World cup trial match against Brazil, the Stars appeared absolutely disorganised and could not play to any rhythm, suffering a 3-0 defeat.
The Chronicle is very much alarmed not just because Ghana has lost to Brazil but due to the fact that the Stars could not play as a team that is going to the world Cup in a few months from now.
In our honest view, the team lacked direction and clear cut formation, as we looked so miserable in all departments of the game.
As a practice match, one could say the defeat afforded the technical handlers the opportunity to fine-tune by plugging all the loopholes exposed by Brazil.
The focus shifted to our second trial game against Nicaragua, a weaker side ranked 139th by FIFA, where the Stars were expected to redeem their image.
Rather, the game exposed the Stars the more, as a dogged display by the opponent proved how vulnerable our team is, ahead of the world cup.
The poor performance put up by the Stars has set the pace for questions to be asked about the technical competency of head coach Otto Addo, who prior to picking up the Black Stars job, had no experience in coaching a national team.
However, there is the final opportunity for coach Otto Addo to fine-tune his team with a final friendly against high-flying Switzerland next month.
In our sincerest opinion, the performance of the Stars in the last two friendlies was not satisfactory, as the team prepares for the final showdown in Qatar, in Group H made up of Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
If Otto Addo does not pull his weight, the FA must not hesitate to hand Chris Huston the opportunity to lead us to Qatar.
Football is indeed the opium of the Ghanaian masses and, therefore, the Mundial cannot be the grounds for any “ma try ma kwe”, (to wit ‘I will try and see’).
