Bechem United president Kingsley Owusu Achau and Alhaji Amadu Moro Brimah, a board member of Hearts of Oak have been invited by the Ghana Football Association to assist with investigations of betting and match-fixing.
The duo are expected at the Ghana FA secretariat on Thursday May 12,2022.
Achau in a recent interview with Accra-based Asempa FM claimed top Ghana Premier League club officials bet on matches
And for Brimah, he claimed on Starr FM that: ”Betting activities by some club officials are done to better the financial situations of their respective clubs.”
A publication on the Ghana FA website read: ”All cases of match manipulation and betting are contrary to the provisions of the GFA Code of Ethics 2019, GFA Premier League Regulations 2019 and the GFA Disciplinary Code 2019.
”The GFA has reminded both officials that the FIFA and GFA Code of Ethics impose duties on participants in football to assist the Association and FIFA in eradicating such ills from the game- the Duty to Disclose and the Duty to Cooperate.”
Ghana Premier League heavyweights, Accra Hearts of Oak have revealed plans for the construction of a 50,000 multi-purpose stadium.
Board member of the Ghanaian giants, Vincent Odotei Sowah, has disclosed that the club decided to build its own stadium to serve as their home venue.
He said the stadium, proposed by the Hearts’ Board of Directors will have 50,000 seats, which would make it the largest stadium in Ghana.
“Our journey to attain pre-eminent as a club not just in Ghana but Africa can’t be achieved without infrastructures. We want everyone especially the media to take note that this year will beginning of rolling out of quadruple project,” Odotei Sowah said during the commissioning of the Hearts of Oak Commercial center in Accra.
“One of the quadruple project is the Hearts of Oak Commercial Center which we are commissioning today. The second one is the sod cutting of the new Head Office of the club which will be done after this short ceremony.
“The third project of the quadruple project will be the commissioning of the twenty-acre sports facility at Pobiman.
“The quadruple project will be concluded with the building of our own 50,000 seater stadium, somewhere in Accra. Today marks the beginning of the quadruple infrastructure project of Hearts of Oak” he concluded
Hearts of Oak have been playing their home matches at the state-owned sports facility, Accra Sports Stadium since 1962.
Champions League semi-finalists Villarreal will be bidding to put pressure on sixth-placed Real Sociedad in the La Liga table when they travel to Rayo Vallecano on Thursday night.
The Yellow Submarine are currently seventh, three points behind Real Sociedad in sixth, while Rayo occupy 12th position, boasting 42 points from their 35 league matches this season.
Villarreal incredibly reached the Champions League semi-finals by dispatching Bayern Munich in the last eight, but their journey in the competition came to an end in the final four, losing 5-2 on aggregate to Liverpool.
Unai Emery‘s side have actually lost three of their last four matches in all competitions, with their last league success coming at home to Valencia on April 19, but they picked up a welcome point against Sevilla last time out
Villarreal are currently in the race to secure a Europa League position. Emery’s team will actually take on the Basque outfit in their penultimate match of the season on May 15 before heading to Barcelona on May 22, so they will have to do it the hard way if the club are to book their spot in next season’s Europa League.
Villarreal need the points more than Rayo, but the home side’s recent form must be respected, therefore this is a difficult match to call. It would not be a surprise to see a home or away victory on Thursday, but we believe that the two teams could ultimately cancel each other out in an entertaining draw.
Champions Real Madrid will be bidding to return to winning ways in Spain’s top flight when they welcome relegation-threatened Levante to Bernabeu on Thursday evening.
Los Blancos, who were crowned champions at the end of April, suffered a 1-0 defeat to rivals Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby at the weekend, while Levante will enter the match off the back of a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, which boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation from La Liga. Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti made seven changes to his starting side for the Madrid derby against Atletico, following the team’s Champions League semi-final success over Manchester City last week.
Ancelotti will need to balance resting players and keeping them match fit over the next couple of weeks, and it will be fascinating to see how the Italian uses his squad in their final three games of the La Liga campaign against Levante, Cadiz and Real Betis, especially as the three matches could have a lot riding on them.
Real Madrid have the best home record in Spain’s top flight this term, picking up 40 points from 17 matches, and they will be welcoming a Levante outfit with the fourth-worst away record, but there is no question that it is a bigger match for the visitors, who are battling to stay in the division. The visitors will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 success over Real Sociedad on May 6, with Gonzalo Melero‘s 90th-minute penalty deciding the contest in Valencia.
Alessio Lisci‘s side are currently 19th in the table, five points behind 17th-placed Granada, meaning that they will need to secure three positive results in their final three matches to stand a chance of staying in the league.
After a trip to Madrid, Levante will welcome Alaves on May 15 before finishing their campaign away to Rayo Vallecano on May 22, and the fact that they have picked up four points from their last two games against Valencia and Real Sociedad should mean that confidence is high.
Levante are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table, but the fact that Real Madrid lost against Atletico will make this a tough match for the visitors, even if Ancelotti’s side are not under any pressure to win. It could be a tight match on Thursday evening, but we are expecting the champions to secure all three points.
A potentially season-defining North London derby for both clubs takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday night, as Spurs face off against bitter rivals Arsenal.
The Gunners start the day one place and four points better off than their opponents, whose Champions League dreams will be shattered with defeat on their own turf and if Chelsea get the better of Leeds United.
Much to the amusement of Arsenal fans and the chagrin of Tottenham, the Gunners’ depleted squad through injuries, the Africa Cup of Nations and COVID-19 led to the postponement of the originally scheduled North London derby on Spurs’ turf, and the Lilywhites certainly made their feelings known on the matter.
Arteta, Arsenal manager
However, Antonio Conte‘s side arguably prepare to welcome the Gunners in a better position than they were four months ago.
While dissatisfactory results in April have harmed their top-four charge, Tottenham got right back on track by beating Leicester City before managing to end Liverpool’s 12-game Premier League winning run at Anfield.
Conte may be slightly concerned at the fact that his side have only managed to keep one clean sheet in their last seven Premier League matches at home – shipping one goal in each of their last four – and the Italian does not have too many fond memories of meetings with Arsenal, posting just one win from eight against the Gunners as a manager.
Securing Champions League football at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium does not have quite the same ring to it as winning the league at White Hart Lane, but such an achievement would mark a momentous period of progress for Mikel Arteta‘s Arsenal, and they are only 90 minutes away from doing so.
Results matter much more than performances do at this stage of the season, but Arsenal rode their luck against Man United, West Ham and the 10 men of Leeds for long periods, and that streak of fortune may run out in a fixture that has traditionally been unkind to them.
Arteta’s side have not developed a ruthless streak to kill games off, whereas Tottenham will be buoyed by their stellar showing against Liverpool and should expose the Gunners’ recent defensive lapses to keep the race for the top four alive that little bit longer.
The Anti-Armed Robbery Unit of the Police Headquarters in a Scotland Yard style operation has nabbed three persons in connection with the killing of a car dealer at Tema. The suspects, who are reportedly resident at Ashaiman, near Tema, are Benjamin Essel, a self-styled Medical Doctor, 29 and a native of Ajumako in the Central Region, Latif Nasiru, 24, from the Republic of Togo and Michael Tetteh, aka James Osei, 22, from Kasseh-Ada in the Greater Accra Region.
The car dealer/mechanic was shot and killed on Monday April 25, 2022 at Tema Community 22, after he was lured and trapped under the pretext of buying a Rav-4 vehicle, which was entrusted to him by his senior brother to sell. Exactly a week after the heinous crime, the police have arrested the suspects, as promised by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, after the crime was committed.
The Chronicle gathered that on Monday May 2, 2022 crack detectives from the elite unit in a high-tech intelligence operation landed at Amasaman for the onslaught. Somewhere near the local China Mall was the rendezvous in anticipation of yet to be planned another deadly robbery.
At the scheduled time, the trio landed in readiness, only for them to be contained by a squad of well trained and armed men from the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit.
During the preliminary investigation, suspect Michael Tetteh lied when he mentioned his name as James Osei, but was later compelled to come out with his real name. The supposed Doctor Essel’s modus operandi was to dress very well, chatter a taxi and move around town to pick contacts of cars advertising FOR SALE on them, as his next target.
On Friday April 22, 2022 he placed a call to one Felix Tetteh Batcha, whose telephone number was on a car meant for sale, but upon further discussion he expressed interest in a Rav-4. He directed that his junior brother should proceed with the car to the Community 22 Polyclinic, where he ‘practices’ as a medical doctor.
After back and forth from the offices of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in Tema, he claimed that he was busy at the theatre performing surgery, hence delegated another man he made to accompany the errand person to test drive the vehicle.
At an obscure corner in the community, he came out pretended he was making enquiry from a nearby house on the phone.
At this juncture, the errand boy, Larweh and another, suspected foul play and consequently removed the ignition key, but before they could start the engine to move the car, a motor cycle carrying two men zoomed in and demanded they be given the car key, which he (Larweh) refused.
Larweh threw the key into the bush and Latif reportedly shot him in the neck, leading to his death.
Information available to The Chronicle indicates that Benjamin Essel has been on police radar for crimes he severally committed.
Police sources reported that he has been sentenced to five years in absentia by the Adenta Circuit Court, in connection with a car robbery. The Airport District Police have also obtained a bench warrant for his arrest on a similar charge of robbery.
The Auto Theft Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters was also looking for him for the robbery that rocked Kibi in June last year.
Meanwhile, a locally manufactured gun that the suspects used to allegedly kill James Larweh has been retrieved by the police.
Mr Samuel Jinapor and other dignitaries at the conference
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, is advocating policy and legislative framework in the determination of resource nationalism and exploitation of such resource for development promising that all mining contracts entered into by the Akufo-Addo government will be respected.
According to him, a statutory framework on natural resources that is known to both investors and states ensures investors that come into Africa will be aware of the fiscal framework of countries.
He pointed out that if the regulatory framework is well known, the rules do not get changed in the middle of an agreement leading to conflict.
He was speaking at the Mining Conference currently ongoing in Cape Town, South Africa on the theme, “Resource Nationalism Challenge: How has the Global Pandemic Shaped Sovereign State Views on Resource Nationalism and Collaboration.” Mr Jinapor argued that resource nationalism is at the heart of the mining industry and stressed that how this phenomenon is dealt with is very consequential.
He pointed out that resource nationalism has not yet been given a very definitive definition by academics and mining exports, but stressed at the level of policy making the phenomenon is considered in two ways.
According to him, the consideration of outright exploration, seizures and state control interventions has become quite unfashionable and given way to new reasoning.
“The sophisticated tools of local content, indigenization, tweaking of already established contracts and agreements and breach of contracts, and so on, which is also another mechanism for resource nationalism has become common.”
“Being able to attract the needed capital investment and technology and how to exploit these resource for the benefit of the citizens of the state is the biggest issue we have to deal with,” he stated.
Citing the example of Ghana, the Minister said the framework for the mining sector is certain and cast out clearly and that if an investor wants to take a decision to invest in Ghana, they can be certain they are investing in a democratic state where the rule of law prevails and sanctity of contract is the norm.
“And so if we get into negotiations, and we cast the terms of our negotiation in a contract, you can be rest assured that it will be respected,” he added.
He disclosed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has rolled out a programme and a vision that will result in a major paradigm shift in how the Ghanaian mining industry is regulated and operated.
This programme, he said, is determined to ensure that value is added to minerals mined in Ghana like gold from exploration, prospecting, mining to refinery to the downstream industries.
“All of these are matters that we’re planning. So is it for iron, steel and bauxite. By an Act of parliament, we are insisting that within five years after the promulgation of the law, no raw bauxite can be exported out of Ghana.”
“Value addition will ensure that we retain a lot of the value in Ghana as well as also putting in place special institutional arrangements such as the Mineral Development Fund where we are dedicating 20% of our royalties for development in mining communities in Ghana, and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) where we are seeking to collateralize and leverage royalties for national development and in mining communities and to also bring about capital to indigenize the mining community in our country,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo in a photograph with members of the Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana (MAAG) and other minister of state.
President Akufo-Addo addressing members of the Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana
Members of the Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana (MMAAG) have said despite their earlier resistance to the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy), they now support it.
The reason is the fact that the government, in the face of the current difficulties, would have to take drastic measures to support the economy.
As such, the Association has pledged its commitment to ensuring that the administration of the E-Levy would be supported by its members.
Furthermore, the Association has urged Ghanaians to obey the E-Levy as it has now become law.
“The E-Levy has now been passed into law, and all citizens must obey, so we here as allies and not opposing forces,” the General Secretary of MMAAG, Evans Otumfuo, said this on behalf of the Association at Jubilee House yesterday in a meeting with President Akufo-Addo, which also had the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Minister for Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, in attendance.
Evans Otumfuo placed on record that the organisation believes in the payment of taxes as a major tool to drive the needed development and progress, assuring that they would not do anything to frustrate the success of the levy.
He seized the opportunity to also commend “the government for taking bold steps to reduce the electronic transfer levy from the initial 1.75% to 1.5%, and the tall list of exemptions provided by the E-Levy,” but swiftly added that they “had wished it reduced further for fear of its attendant impact on our businesses.”
Address Challenges
However, the Association’s scribe appealed to the government to expedite actions to address the challenges that the levy had brought to the agents.
He cited some as deductions made on agent’s accounts anytime funds were transferred to their bank accounts for purposes of accessing cash to serve customers.
Evans Otumfuo said they had observed through the feedback after the effective date that communications on the E-Levy had been extremely low.
He stressed that it was in the best interest of the Association to help drive education and the needed sensitisation, and pledged that they were ready to man the responsibility of going around the country to help with public education.
Meanwhile, the Association requested for an assurance that the government had some remedial steps to take should the levy weighs the sector down.
While mentioning that the Association intended to support the government to realize the needed revenue, they commended the government for these “wonderful initiatives and that MMAAG is ready to partner government to bring more of these refreshing policies since the mobile money business is one of the areas the government can invest in to create more employment for the youth.”
Board Representation
The Association made a passionate appeal to the President to help them have representation on all boards whose policies affect mobile money growth and development. They specifically mentioned the Bank of Ghana’s board that handles digital financial payments, and any other policymaking platforms such as the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, National Communications Authority and Ministry of Finance.
President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo in his remarks expressed delight in seeing the Association. He said was aware of the expansion of the business so it was good to meet the faces behind.
He congratulated them on what he termed their ingenuity and sense of enterprise in seeing the possibilities of development in the digitization program, saying, “this is what we want to see in this country.”
He said he was encouraged for the offer of partnership to make sure the controversial E-levy was successfully administered.
“I think it is appropriate that direct stakeholders like you voice out your concerns as you did, and that these concerns are taking into account by government…,” he opined.
Board
On the appeal to have representations on all boards that are related to their business, President Akufo-Addo could not see how feasible that could be.
Though he told the Association it would be looked at, he also said he would be surprised these agencies are regulatory agencies. He pointed out how the regulator would be on the same board with the people they regulate.
Alternatively, he suggested regular meetings between the Association and the Ministries responsible, for their concerns to be addressed appropriately.
Bishop of the Sunyani Methodist Diocese, Rt Rev Daniel Kwasi Tannor addressing the synod
The clergy
The Methodist Church Ghana has started the implementation of a seven-year strategic plan, dubbed “Agenda for Revival and Growth.”
The Bishop of the Sunyani Methodist Diocese, Right Reverend Daniel Kwasi Tannor, explained that based on the connexional strategic plan, dioceses, circuits and societies, are to draw annual action plans.
“Youth unemployment is one of the key challenges facing the nation and the Methodist Church, Ghana in particular. The Diocese will sponsor twenty-five (25) young people selected from the various circuits to undertake skill training to enable them to engage in gainful employment”, the Bishop pointed out.
Bishop Kwasi Tannor disclosed this at the opening of the 43rd Annual Sunyani Diocesan Synod of the Methodist church, Ghana held at the Wesley Chapel at Wamfie in the Dormaa East District in the Bono region.
“The vocation areas for the training include soap making, bakery, mushroom cultivation and beekeeping”, Bishop Kwasi Tannor revealed.
The women’s wing of the church
According to the Methodist Bishop, the training would be done by the National Board for Small Scale Businesses (NBSSB) after which the Diocese will donate start-up kits and seed capital to trainees to start their enterprises.
As part of efforts to end the rampant drifting of the youth to other churches, the strategic plan would also include the opportunity for the youth to interact with the Bishop and Lay Chairman to share their challenges and make suggestions to the church. This way, they (youth) will not only have a sense of belonging but they will also have some of their concerns addressed.
Bishop Kwasi Tannor suggested among others, the re-introduction of an elaborate and effective towing system on our roads.
“The government must not relent in its efforts to implement this laudable policy which was shelved under the carpet sometime ago. Besides, there should be a re-awakening of driver-consciousness.”
Youth Ministries Division
The Youth Ministries Division (YMD) is one of the five divisions under the Board of Education and Youth (BEY) mandated by the Church to oversee youth work in the Methodist Church Ghana.
According to the constitution and the standing orders of the church (S.O.239), YMD is responsible for the implementation of youth policies and programmes within the Methodist Church Ghana.
It also plans projects as well as co-ordinates the works of the various youth organisations in the church, including leadership development.
President Akufo-Addo (in suit), in a photograph with a delegation from the Oguaa Traditional Area in the Central Region
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed that the government has received a recommendation to construct one airport to serve the Central and Western Regions.
According to the President, the recommendation, though yet to be officially submitted, came out of the committee setup to look into constructing airport that enclave.
President Akufo-Addo said this on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at Jubilee House, when the Paramount Chief of Oguaa Traditional Area, led a delegation to pay a courtesy call.
Responding briefly to the issue of constructing an airport in Cape Coast, a campaign promise, President Akufo-Addo informed the chief the idea was not out of the plate, but there was a problem.
He explained that the twin region to Cape Coast, Western, has also requested for an airport to be constructed for them.
He added that a committee he had set up was looking into the possibility of an airport each for the two close region, however, unofficial information from the sector Minister pointed that one to serve the two would suffice.
“The airport. There is a little issue with the [Cape Coast] airport. Central wants an airport and Western region also want and airport. So, the committee I have setup to look into it and bring a report has not submitted their official report. But the few I have gathered is that the committee is recommending that instead of having two airports, there could be one somewhere in the middle between the Western region and the Central region so, it can serve both regions.
“We are waiting for the report to give the go ahead to start the construction process. So, give us a little time. But whatever be the case there will be an airport in this striking distance, but not a 100% for Central region but a mixture of Central region and the Western region [at] some strategic place which I believe you will agree to, to help us all,” he ended.
The President, touching on the renovation of the first elementary school in Ghana, the Philip Quaque Boys’ School, said he had discussed with the Education Minister, and soon, the chief would hear something about that.
Oguaamanhene
The Paramount Chief of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Arthur II, in his address made a passing comment to inquire into the status of the government’s plan to construct an airport for the people of region.
Philip Quaque Boys’ School
The other issue the chief raised with the President was the renovation of the oldest boys’ school, Philip Quaque Boys’ School.
According to the chief, they had discussed with the President when he lasted visited the region, and yesterday was a reminder for him to act on that for them, “…and our airport.”
Commendation
Osabarima Kwesi Arthur II, told President Akufo-Addo they had visited him to commend him for the tremendous attention the government was giving to the region.
He cited the recent national events held in Central Region, and the developmental projects ongoing, but asked that more followed.
