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Health Benefits of Bananas

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Bananas

What Are Bananas?

Bananas grow from a tropical flowering plant. They’re soft, sweet, and a convenient source of some important nutrients.

They have origins in Southeast Asia. People have grown bananas since ancient times, and their health benefits have been promoted for more than a century.

Today, bananas are grown in more than 150 countries in tropical climates, including Africa, South and Central America, China, and India. There are hundreds of types. The dessert banana (Cavendish) is the most popular variety in North America and Europe.

Bananas are versatile as well as tasty. You can eat them raw, mixed into your favorite smoothie, or in a peanut butter-banana sandwich, banana bread, or muffins. Bananas:

  • Can be found at your grocery store all year long
  • Are easily stored
  • Travel well in their peel

Is a banana a fruit? 

A banana is considered a fruit. Bananas grow in a cluster at the top of a tropical plant.

Banana Benefits

Bananas are rich in potassium and other important minerals and vitamins that help your body perform critical functions. Their potential benefits include:

Heart health

Bananas are best known for containing potassium, which is a big player in heart health. This vital mineral and electrolyte carries a small electrical charge, causing nerve cells to send out signals for your heart to beat regularly and muscles to contract. Foods with potassium help protect against hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and high blood pressure.

A medium banana gives you about 450 milligrams, which is about 10% of what you need every day. Potassium-rich foods also help you get rid of more sodium when you pee and relax the walls of your blood vessels, both of which help lower your blood pressure.

What’s more, potassium:

  • May lower your risk of stroke
  • Can help keep your bones healthy as you age
  • May help your muscles work better
  • Can help prevent kidney stones

If you have kidney problems, too much potassium isn’t good for you. Check with your doctor to see how much you should have.

Digestive health

Despite their sugar content, bananas have a low glycemic index (GI) value of 51. (Glycemic index is a measure of how fast a food causes your blood sugar to rise.) Their fiber – which helps with digestion – is the reason for this. Bananas contain a type of fiber called pectin, which can play a part in controlling how quickly you digest carbohydrates.

Bananas may be good for your tummy, too. They have probiotics, which are the good bacteria found in your gut, and prebiotics, carbs that feed these good bacteria.

There’s also evidence that probiotics can help with the annoying diarrhea people get after taking some antibiotics.

Probiotics may also help:

  • Improve yeast and urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  • Treat some infections in your gut
  • Ease irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Lessen lactose intolerance
  • Ease some allergy symptoms

Probiotics may even help make colds and the flu less severe.

Bananas contain fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are unique fructose-filled carbohydrates that you don’t fully digest. These FOS are involved in a process that helps maintain the balance of good bacteria in your lower intestine.

Green, or unripe, bananas are a good source of resistant starch, which is a type of carbohydrate that isn’t digested in your small intestine. Instead, it ferments in your large intestine and feeds good bacteria in your gut. Resistant starch can make you feel fuller, which helps with weight loss. It’s also good for dealing with constipation. Resistant starch can also lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of colon cancer. Because most people don’t like to peel and eat a green banana – they’re hard to chew – the unripe fruit is being used in flour and other food products.

 

Weight control

Eating low-GI foods may promote weight loss. Fiber, like that found in bananas, can also help you control your weight.

It’s no secret that the right amount of fiber in your diet is good for you. An average-size ripe banana gives you 3 grams of it. That’s about 10% of what you need each day. Most of the fiber in bananas is what’s called soluble fiber. It can help keep your cholesterol and blood pressure in check and help ease inflammation.

In general, foods that are high in fiber make you feel full without extra calories. That also makes them a good choice if you want to shed a few pounds.

Faster workout recovery

Research suggests bananas can also help you bounce back from strenuous workouts. But we need more studies to confirm this.

Cancer prevention

One study found that children who ate bananas and oranges regularly, and drank orange juice, had a lower risk of childhood leukemia. Various compounds in bananas have shown promise against breast, cervical, colorectal, esophageal, liver, oral, prostate, and skin cancers. But more research is needed.

Memory and mood help

Bananas contain tryptophan, which is a beneficial amino acid. In your body, it gets converted to serotonin, which boosts mood. Many other substances in bananas are known to fight cognitive decline, which can cause memory loss. Research continues on the best way to use those compounds for brain health.

Credit: webmd

 

The Papacy and the Conclave

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Feature

Papacy: Protestants do not believe, in the Papacy, because they claim it is not specifically written in Sacred Scriptures. In truth, by the definition of papacy, it is the office held by the pope, the leader of the Catholic Church. It indicates clearly that one man is given authority to lead the people of God, here on earth.

Protestants, argue that the papacy, with its claims of authority and infallibility, lacks biblical foundation and is not a necessary structure for the Christian church.

Response: Christ Himself gave authority to Peter, to administer His Church (Matthew 16: 18 and John 18:15-27). With this authority comes infallibility. What Protestants are not aware of is that the infallibility of the Pope, is only in matters of faith and doctrines and must be from his chair (ex cathedra). He first gathers the bishops and they pray over the issue, before he makes that pronunciation Throughout Church history only two infallible statements have been made by popes. The 1854 declaration by Pope Pius IX on the Immaculate Conception and the 1950 declaration by Pope Pius XII on the Assumption of Mary.

We all accept that only God can forgive sins, but Jesus Christ gave the power to forgive sins, to Peter and the apostles, He made their decision on forgiveness of sins, infallible.

Many Protestants argue that there is no clear biblical text that establishes a single, supreme leader over the church, or that designates Peter as such. There are lots of evidence in Sacred Scripture to support a single supreme leader. Please read, below.

To the Protestants, Matthew 16:18 the mention of Rock in Matthew 16:18 refers to Peter’s faith or the truth of the gospel rather than to Peter as the first pope.

Response: Peter’s strong faith in Jesus, was what Jesus saw in him and made him the leader of His Church

Protestants generally believe that individual believers, guided by the Holy Spirit and Scripture, are ultimately the authority in matters of faith and practice. So, the Pope does not possess the unique authority to interpret scripture and make doctrinal decisions. And his authority is not based on divine mandate but on human power structures.

Response: If that is the way to look at things, then all church leaders in Protestant churches do not also have the authority to interpret scripture.

Protestants often emphasize the role of the church as the body of believers, with individual congregations having autonomy rather than a centralized hierarchical structure led by the Pope.

In the Bible, there is evidence that some people have been set apart to interpret the Word of God. Jesus in Matthew 13: 10-15, explained that only a few people are gifted with the interpretation of the Word of God. In Luke 24: 13-35, Jesus joined two disciples on their way to Emmaus who were caught trying to understand events of the crucifixion. He opened their minds when He interpreted the Scriptures to them. And in Acts 20:26-40, the Holy Spirit sent Phillip to an Ethiopian eunuch, who was trying to understand what he was reading from the scriptures and the apostle interpreted it to him.

Many Protestants argue that the idea of apostolic succession, where bishops are believed to have inherited authority from the apostles, is not supported by scripture or historical evidence.

Response: This perception is very wrong. There are scriptural evidences, below.

Protestants often cite the distinction between clergy and laity, and the hierarchical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, as being unbiblical.

Again, there are evidences where the early church had the clergy and the laity. The apostles visited communities and established the church there, leaving it in the hands of appointed personnel who were filled with the Holy Spirit and could instruct the laity the way they should go.

Going through Sacred Scriptures, there are instances, where someone is made to lead the God’s people and after their death, someone succeeds them. Abraham was picked by God and after him, his son Isaac took over. Mind you Isaac was not the first born. After Isaac came Jacob, who was also not the eldest.

Moses was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and after him, Joshua took over. In the natural order of things, a group, community, nation must have one leader who will have the authority over everybody and these leaders are succeeded after they die or quit the position.

Based on Peter’s proclamation about who Jesus is, in Matthew 16:16, Jesus elevated Peter in Matthew 16: 18-19, saying,“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church,and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and whatever you loose, on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.”

The significance of being given the Keys, establishes an administrative leadership and authority second to Jesus. Jesus’ statement is in reference to what God said in Isaiah 22:20-22, “On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe, gird him with your sash, confer on him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; what he opens, no one will shut, what he shuts, no one will open.” In 2 Kings 18:37, Eliakim was mentioned as the master of the palace.

Peter, then took leadership over the other eleven as recorded in various passages, as the spokesman for the apostles, (Mt. 18:21; Mk. 8:29; Lk. 12:41 and Jn. 6:67-68); as the central figure in dramatic scenes in the Gospel, (Mt. 14:27-28; Mt. 17: 24-25; Mk. 8: 29 and Lk. 5: 3-8) and he was always named first when the apostles are listed, (Mt.10:2; Mk. 3:16-17; Lk. 6:13-14 and Acts 1:13). The Gospels make explicit statements about St. Peter’s unique role in the Church, (Mt. 16: 15-19; Lk. 22: 31-32 and Jn. 21: 15-17) and Luke in the Acts of the Apostles acknowledges Peter’s leadership role. (Acts 2: 14; 3:6; 3:12; 4:8; 5:3; 5: 15; 5:29; 8:20; 9:34; 9:40; 10: 9-10; 10:34; 10: 46-47; 11:4 and 15:7.

After St. Peter died, his vacant chair was occupied by St. Linus and he was succeeded after his death and the succession continued to this day and era.

Protestants also condemns apostolic succession, claiming that it has no biblical references. In Acts 1: 15-26, the Peter stood in the midst of one-hundred and twenty brothers, and told them that scriptures had to be fulfilled through the Holy Spirit, quoting from Psalm 109: 8, that someone was to take Judas’ place. And so, they picked Barsabbas and Mathias, and after praying to the Holy Spirit for directions, the cast lots and Mathias won to replace Judas as an apostle.

This is an apostolic succession and if Judas could be replaced, then what about the leader, Peter? The Catholic Church has kept this tradition to this day, because Jesus Christ wanted someone to lead His church at all times.

Peter was made the leader by Jesus, but on that Thursday night of His Passion, Peter denied his Lord and Master, three times as recorded in Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-62, and John 18:15-27. By this he voluntarily relinquished his role as leader.

All the same, Jesus had faith in him and in John 21: 15-17, He asked Peter, thrice, whether he loves Him and thrice Peter professed love for Christ, from the debt of his heart, even acknowledging his short comings. By professing love, which is the greatest of all the virtues (1 Corinthians 13:13), Peter was restored to his leadership role. Peter was asked to feed and tend to the sheep and lambs of Jesus, meaning he was to take care of the Church.

The Catholic Church, which was the only Church founded by Jesus, has respected Jesus’ command to this day and so whenever the Chair of Peter is vacant (sedevacante), someone must be elected through the Holy Spirit to occupy that Chair.

Conclave:Today, May 7, 2025, the Conclave begins with only one balloting for the first day. If no cardinal gets at least the required two-third majority, to be elected pope, the balloting will continue the following day with two ballots in the morning and two in the evening, until a cardinal gets elected. Every balloting will be afresh, until if after the thirty-fourth balloting, no cardinal gets elected, then only the top two cardinals will be voted on in the next ballot.

The balloting will be secret and a cardinal can vote for himself, which never used to be the case, until reformations in the elections of pope came up.The reformations did not permit cardinals to vote for themselves, neither did they prohibit that.

The Conclave begins with a solemn oath of secrecy and the traditional extra omnes command, which dismisses all non-cardinals from the chapel. The electors, that is cardinals below the age of 80 will pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and there will be some exhortation after, with emphasis placed on where the Church and the world are today. Then they will proceed with rest of the agenda.

When a cardinal is elected pope, and he accepts it, he will be taken to a room to put on pope’s garment and led to the famous window where the senior cardinal deacon will announce to the people in the square and the world, the traditional words, HabemusPapam (We have a Pope).

In as much as all Ghanaians want Cardinal Appiah Tuckson to be elected Pope, we must pray to the Holy Spirit to choose him. He makes the choice because the pope is about Jesus and His Sanctam Ecclésiam Cathòlicam.

Hon Daniel Dugan

Feature: Growing Ghana’s Creative Industry: Learning from the Nigerian Playbook

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Frema Adunyame, the Author

Over the past decade, Nigeria’s creative industry has evolved into a global powerhouse, especially in the music and film sectors. From Grammy-nominated Afrobeats stars to Nollywood films on global streaming platforms, Nigeria’s cultural exports have captivated the world. Their success is no accident—it is the result of a deliberate, structured approach to building a creative economy.

Nigeria’s music industry, particularly its flagship sound Afrobeats, has grown into a global cultural force. What was once a regional genre is now streamed on global platforms, played in top clubs, and featured in global festivals. This meteoric rise didn’t happen by chance—it is the result of a combination of strategic efforts by artists, industry players, and government institutions.

Nollywood, Nigeria’s film industry, on the other hand has grown into the second-largest film industry in the world in terms of volume, producing over 2,500 films annually. From humble beginnings in the early 1990s, Nollywood has become a multi-billion-dollar sector and a major cultural export across Africa and beyond.  According to estimate from Business Day Nigeria, in 2021 alone, Nollywood employed 300,000 persons. A situation which is expected to have more than quadrupled by the end of 2025 according to jobberman projections.

Deliberate steps were taken to achieve this success. The content of movies resonated with local and regional audiences because they featured African faces and relatable storylines, they addressed themes like family, spirituality, politics, and urban life and they used indigenous languages and Pidgin English for mass appeal.

Ghana, a nation equally blessed with rich cultural heritage and artistic talent, has every opportunity to rise to similar prominence. Yet, despite flashes of brilliance, we have not sustained the momentum needed to position ourselves as a creative leader on the African continent. The time has come to learn from our neighbours—not merely to copy, but to adopt what works and build a strategy that works for us. These are some pointers we could look at;

 

Match Policy with Purposeful Investment

One of the biggest drivers of Nigeria’s creative boom has been real financial investment—backed by government initiatives like the Project ACT Nollywood Fund and strategic partnerships.

Though late, public policy began to support Nollywood: The Project Nollywood Fund by the Bank of Industry offered grants for production and capacity building. Nigeria’s Creative Industry Finance Initiative backed training and production. The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) began regulation to improve content standards. In music, the government has instituted and implemented initiatives that have further championed the growth of the industry.

The Nigeria Creative Industry Development Bill for instance, aims to formalize and support entertainment sector funding.

If the Ghana entertainment industry will grow and compete on the global stage, government must be deliberate in supporting with practical policies. The arts is not cheap. According to Ghanaian Filmmaker, Peter Sedufia in an interview with Channel One TV, it cost him nothing less than USD 200,000 to produce his Aloe Vera movie which eventually ended up on Netflix, featured at global film festivals and won several awards. Ghana needs a Creative Industries Fund to support content creators across sectors—film, music, fashion, theatre, and digital arts. This must be complemented by tax incentives to attract private sector investment into the creative space.

 

Build the Right Infrastructure

Ghanaian creators often lack access to the tools and spaces needed to produce high-quality work. We need creative hubs—well-equipped spaces with sound studios, editing suites, rehearsal spaces, cinema halls and stages. Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi could become creative corridors if we commit to public-private partnerships that support infrastructure development in the arts.

It is painful to admit that, as a nation that prides itself as a promoter of the creative arts, the National Theatre remains the only ideal facility for live performances be it theatre or musical concerts in the country. The National Theatre of Ghana is in a very sorry state and lacks many functional equipment, not to talk about state of the art. Infrastructural development could begin with the very institutions meant to train creatives like the completion of the Arts Complex of the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana which has been under construction for over 15 years.

 

Develop and Protect Talent

While Ghana boasts of immense talent, the industry lacks structured support for growth. Perhaps due to our perception of the arts. We must integrate creative arts into our educational system, from primary schools to universities. Additionally, we should partner with global institutions for mentorship and exchange programmes. There must be venues for graduates of music, acting, directing, etc to practice right after school under the National Service Scheme.

In Nigeria platforms like Mavin Records, Chocolate City, and Empire Africa have created professional structures for talent grooming and global distribution. Nigeria’s strategic collaborations is one sure way of tapping into the expertise of Hollywood and gain exposure. Wizkid’s “Essence”, featuring Tems and Justin Bieber and Davido’s collaboration with Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj are just a few examples. Although few Ghanaian musicians have been successful with international collaboration, there must be a deliberate move to do more.

Nollywood today is collaborating with South Africa, Hollywood and Bollywood to produce movies. Equally important is the enforcement of intellectual property rights to protect the hard work of our creatives. The Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), the Musicians Union of Ghana (MISIGA) and the Ghana Actors Guild must be better resourced to carry out their mandate.

 

Go Digital—Globally

Nigerian artists understand how to use digital and global platforms to their advantage. Ghanaians must be trained and supported to do the same. We need to help our creators understand digital algorithms, trends, and viral marketing. Our content must be created with the global audience in mind, without losing our authenticity. In leveraging digital platforms and global distribution, Nigerian artists have aggressively utilized platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Audiomack, Instagram and TikTok. According to the IFPI Global Music Report 2023, sub-Saharan Africa was the fastest-growing region globally, with Nigeria leading the way, driven largely by streaming. The IFPI 2023 report further states that, in 2022, Nigeria accounted for 66% of sub-Saharan Africa’s total music streaming revenue.

Nigerian songs like CKay’s “Love Nwantiti” became global sensations largely through TikTok trends. Today, Nigerian film companies like Ebony Life, Inkblot, and Film One are internationally recognized. The shift from DVD to digital was crucial. Platforms like iROKOtv, YouTube, and later Netflix provided global access. In 2015, Netflix began acquiring Nollywood content. By 2020, it commissioned Nigerian originals with YouTube becoming a distribution outlet for diaspora audiences, growing revenue through ads and partnerships.

Ghana must make a deliberate attempt to create more Stonebwoys, Joe Mettles, Black Sherrifs, Sarkodies, Shatta Wales, Sparrow Productions and Old Films Productions to flood the digital space with Ghanaian content for an appreciable global representation.

Promote National Pride in the Arts

To grow the creative industry, we must shift mindsets. The arts are not just a pastime; they are a profession. Schools, media, and families must encourage children who want to become filmmakers, dancers, or musicians. Nigeria has succeeded in using Nollywood as a powerful tool for promoting their stories, values and identity globally. National campaigns celebrating our arts and artists can create an environment of respect and support. The Lagos Theatre Festival celebrates Nigerian heritage, languages, dance, music and theatre, drawing attention to the country’s rich artistic traditions.

Ghana can boast of creatives who have risen to occupy high offices of the land. The likes of Efua T. Sutherland, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Fritz Baffoe, John Dumelo are but a few examples to help change the mindset of parents who still discourage their wards from pursuing careers in the arts; looking down on and referring to the arts as ‘Dondology’ is quite primitive.

Define a Ghanaian Creative Identity

Just as Afrobeats became a powerful global identity for Nigeria, Ghana can build a distinct creative brand rooted in our unique rhythms, fashion, languages, and storytelling. Our “December in GH” campaign is an excellent platform. Let’s expand it to include more cultural showcases, international collaborations, and deliberate positioning of Ghana as West Africa’s cultural capital. The Nigerian music and movie industries in appealing to their audiences both home and abroad remain authentic by incorporating local languages (Yoruba, Igbo, Pidgin English), traditional rhythms, and storytelling in their works. This authenticity creates a unique and exportable cultural product.

Ghana’s Highlife Music is an heirloom. We have a duty to protect and develop it and bequeath to generations to come. We have not done so well with Highlife. There must be a deliberate effort to encourage young and new musicians to infuse highlife into their works. Some Ghanaian young musicians are unable to breakthrough because they sound like their Nigerian counterparts making it difficult to brand their works with true and indigenous Ghanaian identity. We need to bring back our MOGOs and Highlife Festivals to revive our taste and love for Highlife Music.

In Summary

There is no shortcut to creative success. It requires vision, commitment, and strategic investment. Ghana must support its creative sector not only with words but with real resources and respect. The time to act is now. Governments must move beyond campaign promises and take the creative arts as seriously as any other sector. Our creative arts is our surest and best comparative advantage.

Only Ghanaians can best tell the Ghanaian story. Therefore, our music, like Osibisa’s “Woyaya”, Nana Kwame Ampadu’s “Oman Bo Adwo” and our storytelling, like Kwaw Ansah’s “Heritage Africa” among others must remind us of how we used to do it yester years and be motivated to do much more today.

The world is watching Africa. Let’s ensure that when they look our way, they see Ghana’s light shining just as brightly.

By Frema Adunyame

Arsenal reunite with PSG in Champions League second leg

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Luis Enrique, PSG

Nineteen years on from their first dose of Champions League heartbreak in the French capital, history could repeat itself for Arsenal on Wednesday, when the Gunners reunite with Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their semi-final.

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal

Ballon d’Or-chasing Ousmane Dembele came up with the only goal of the first leg at the Emirates, forcing Arsenal to try to do what only two teams have done before them to punch their ticket to the final.

The Gunners have it all to do away against the Champions League outright favourites with a 1-0 deficit, but they can take heart from having won at the Bernebeu in the previous round.

In some respects, Arsenal and PSG’s first leg was reminiscent of the Gunners’ quarter-final second leg with Real Madrid; only this time, it was the Premier League powerhouses making all of the pre-game noise only to fail to deliver on the pitch itself.

Bukayo Saka, Arsenal

The hosts have only ever suffered one elimination from a European knockout tie when winning the first leg away from home, although that did come to English opposition in the shape of Manchester United in 2018-19.

That result contributes to an underwhelming streak of form for Les Parisiens, who have now lost three and won just two of their last six games across all competitions, but Enrique unsurprisingly put out a second-string team at the weekend, which is more than can be said for the men in red and white.

As PSG were beaten 2-1 in league action while resting most of their starters, Arsenal suffered the same fate with most of their big-hitters on the pitch against Bournemouth.

Furthermore, only two teams have ever managed to progress from a Champions League semi-final after losing the first leg at home – Ajax against Panathinaikos in 1996 and bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur against the former in 2019 – although Spurs will be loath to give their worst enemy any pointers on captivating away comebacks.

Ousmane Dembele, PSG

It is not all doom and gloom for the Gunners, though, as their side travel to the French capital on a seven-game unbeaten run away from home across all competitions, winning each of their last four on the road in Europe and scoring at least two goals each time.

Repeating their 2-1 Bernabeu victory over Real Madrid would give Arsenal a shot at salvation in extra time, but as PSG have struck a staggering 14 goals across their last three Champions League home victories, one should not knock Gooners for fearing the worst in Europe again.

The one negative aspect of the first leg from a PSG perspective was goalscorer Dembele suffering a hamstring strain, but he avoided a serious problem and has been given the green light to face the Gunners.

On Arsenal’s side, Thomas Partey was missed to no end in the first leg as he served a suspension for a needless yellow card at the Bernabeu, but the Ghana international is now free to take his usual place as the Gunners’ midfield anchor.

Partey and Rice should operate alongside skipper Martin Odegaard, who appeared to take a slight knock at the weekend but nothing that should impact his availability for Wednesday, while Jurrien Timber trained on Tuesday after sitting out the Cherries loss so should be good to go too.

There is no downplaying the importance of Partey’s return and possible absence of Dembele, but as Arsenal go on the offensive, PSG’s scintillating wide men can exploit any gaps that open up and move one step closer to a coveted European crown.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Ministry Of Sports And Recreation Engages National Sports Federations In Accra 

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Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams

The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams has begun engaging stakeholders in the sports industry by first meeting the heads and representatives of the various sports Federations and Associations in Accra on Monday 5th May, 2025.

The meeting marked the maiden stakeholder engagement by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation under the leadership of Hon Kofi Adams.

In his keynote address to set the tone for dispassionate interactions among the participants, the Minister expressed his desire to engage stakeholders on a regular basis and believed that it was the best way to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the sports ecosystem.

He noted that it was important to introduce him and his staff who have been appointed to help steer the sports sector and ensure growth of the sector.

“Since my appointment in recent months, several other crucial appointments have been made”, he stated.

He underscored the need to work together as National Federations, adding that some Federations can pick valuable lessons from other Federations that are well structured, citing an example of a well organised Association like the Ghana Football Association.

“The trajectory of Ghana football ecosystem should serve as an example for all of us”, he stated.

He further expressed the commitment of Government through the Ministry of sports and Recreation to complete all unfinished sports infrastructure projects.

In supporting the Federations, the Minister will establish a regular schedule of quarterly meetings with the federations to review progress on agreed points.

Presentations were made by the Director General of the National Sports Authority on the Regulatory Framework for Sports Development, Promotion and Regulations.

During his presentation, he stated that the NSA will partner sports journalists and media and create monthly spotlights features on various disciplines and athletes.

On his part, The President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Mr. Richard Akpokavie, stated that sports is not about medals and victories but also about fair competitions, respect for rules and serving as role models for the next generation.

According to him, the GOC, as a leader of the sports community in Ghana represents the federations who are responsible for athlete development, training and welfare. He said the Ministry of Sports and Recreation that represent the government has a huge responsibility to be involved in the fight against doping.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation responded to the concerns made by some of the federation members which primarily hinged on the lack of funding and assured Federations of the Ministry’s effort to operationalise the Sports Fund which has been in and out of cabinet awaiting approval and believed it would largely mitigate the concerns of many when it finally receives approval.

OsahenYells: Judiciary Is Being Intimidated! …As Coalition Of Political Parties Bare Teeth At Mahama

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Alexander Afenyo Marki, Minority leader

A coalition of opposition political parties have expressed their misgivings about the brouhaha surrounding the judiciary, in a protest dubbed ‘Save The Judiciary.’

Hitting the streets of Accra on Monday, May 5, 2025 the group assured the judiciary that they were with them, stating in an address that “you [judiciary] will never walk alone,” even though they are being intimidated.

Some protesters dressed like Justices

The Mahama administration is 119 days in office today, but has already suffered at least two demonstrations.One was about fighting galamsey, where protesters demanded from the government to walk the talk by declaring a state of emergency, a promise President Mahama made during the 2024 campaign.

The coalition, led by the New Patriotic Party said Ghanaians were protesting against what they believed to be an unconstitutional suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, among others.

According to the protesters, they were expressing their displeasure about the seeming conspiracy to control the judiciary, which is an independent arm of government.

Regardless of pockets of misunderstandings between the Ghana Police and the demonstrators, particularly involving the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, petitions were presented to the Judiciary,Parliament and Jubilee House, where the march ended.

PARLIAMENT

The Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, presenting the group’s petition to Parliament, made a call on the legislature and its members to eschew politics to help protect the democratic institutions of Ghana.

He made the call through the Clerk of Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, who received the petition that advocated immediate parliamentary intervention and public transparency about the suspension.

He said, “Ghana is under siege. This is a call to all of us, regardless of political affiliation, to defend the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. We cannot allow institutions of state to be undermined under the guise of accountability. Parliament must act as the last line of defence for our democracy,” he added.

JUBILEE HOUSE

At the seat of government, Jubilee House, Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stanislav Xoese Dogbe, received the petition on behalf of the president.

He said, “I can assure you and the people of Ghana that we appreciate the fact that just as the government ensured you went about your demonstration peacefully, there was another one last weekend that also took place without any attempt to prevent people from expressing themselves.”

ADDRESS

MrAfenyo-Markin addressed the crowd of protesters where he read the petition to them. According to him, the action of President Mahama amounted to “an attack on the very soul of Ghana’s democracy”.

“We are here not as party activists, but as concerned citizens empowered by the Constitution to protest blatant executive interference and intimidation of the judiciary,” he stated.

The coalition expressed grave concern over what they termed flimsy and politically motivated allegations against the Chief Justice, warning that such actions jeopardise the integrity of the entire judicial system.

“Today it is Gertrude Torkornoo; tomorrow it could be any of you,” Afenyo-Markin cautioned, urging all Ghanaians to stand in defence of judicial independence.

He accused the Mahama-led government of undermining judicial processes by appointing seven new Supreme Court judges without proper consultation or adherence to constitutional protocols.

“The same government that complained about judicial bloat has now stacked the court. The usual process – consultation with the Judicial Council, vetting by the Council of State and parliamentary approval – has been sidestepped,” he claimed.

Afenyo-Markin further urged members of the bench to consider bold steps as a show of resistance against executive overreach.

BACKGROUND

President Mahama has commenced processes to determine the dismissal or continued stay in office of the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, who has since been suspended, after the Council of State said it had determined a prima facie case against her, following the submission and consideration of three separate petitions.

A committee has been formed to investigate several petitions seeking her removal. Jubilee House has told the public that the process was in line with Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution.

Tsopoli Lands: 7 Suspected Land Guards Granted Bail

By
JOHN BEDIAKO
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Court

The Circuit Court at Gbetsile, in the Greater Accra Region, last week Friday granted bail to seven suspected landguards who allegedly terrorised workers and destroyed a fence wall at Tsopoli on the Tema-Aflao highway in the Ningo Prampram Municipality.

They are Nene Teitsu Bediako (A1), 50, Businessman, Dove Bamfloe (A2), 43, Driver, Mark Bamfloe (3), 41, electrician, Albert Bamfloe (A4), 44, driver, Peter Tetteh Bamfloe (A5),35, IT Specialist, David Bamfloe (A6), 35, Driver and John Tetteh Wayo (A7), 50, an Electrician.

The Prosecution told the Court, presided over by Ms Eleanor Kakra Barnes-Botchway that the complainants are masons and reside at Ashaiman and Kasoa respectively.

That, the accused persons live within Tsopoli, Old Ningo and Prampram.

The Prosecution went on that on April 18, 2025 the first complainant, Christian Keteni, reported to the police at Tsopoli that he and other workers were engaged by a company to construct a fence wall on its land at Tsopoli.

That, whiles they were at the site, Nene Teitsu Bediako appeared with the other accused persons, including one Richard Akator, now at large, who were armed with a pistol each and threatened the workers that they will lose their lives if they do not stop working on the land.

Upon receipt of the complaint, the accused were invited through Nene Teitsu Bediako to assist the police with investigation, but they failed to turn up.

On 20th April, 2025 the accused persons went back to the same land and met the second complainant, Francis Agbevornu and other masons, who continued to construct the fence wall.

Accused Dove Bamfloe then slapped complainant Francis Agbevornu for not complying with the orders to stop constructing the fence wall and in the process, the accused persons made it known to the complainants that they will surely pull down the fence wall.

Complainants again reported the assault case to the police, at which instance the police again invited the accused persons through the same Nene Teitsu Bediako, but they again refused to make themselves available.

The complainants were compelled through the aggression from the accused persons to stop constructing the fence wall, even though they had mixed large quantities of cement mortar for the day’s work.

On April 22, 2025 the accused persons went back to the site and pulled down the entire fence wall constructed by the complainants.

Damage to the fence wall is valued at GHC 174 000.00 (One hundred and seventy-four thousand Ghana Cedis).

On  April 30, 2025 the accused persons were arrested and charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit crime, namely acting as a landguards, contrary to Section 23 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) and Section 7 (7) of the Vigilantism and related offences Act 2019 (Act 999).

Also charged with Assault, Contrary to Section 84 of the Criminal Offenses Act 1960 (Act 29) and Threat of death, Contrary to Section 75 of the Criminal Offenses Act 1960.

The accused are to reappear in court on June 4, 2025.

 

 

Takoradi based Businessman enstooled Chief of Komenda Abrobeano

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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Nana Korsah Essandoh I being carried in a palanquin during his enstoolment

A Takoradi based businessman, Peter Obosu, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Peekorb, a local construction company, has been enstooled as chief of Komenda Abrobeano, a fishing community in the central region. His stool name is Nana Korsah Essando I.

It was all pomp and pageantry, as the Takoradi based businessman was finally enstooled as chief of Komenda Abrobeano, bringing to an end 20 years since the stool has had no substantive chief.

Nana Korsah Essandoh known in private life as Peter Obosu speaking to the media

For the last 20 years, a retired military officer had acted as Regent for the community, until the two royal family gates, Korsah and Essandoh, agreed to enstool the Takoradi based businessman as the substantive chief for the area.
In November 2024, Nana Korsah Essandoh was unveiled to the community, so his enstoolment at the weekend did not come as a surprise to the entire Komenda Abrobeano community.

Speaking in an interview, Nana Korsah Essandoh I confessed that Komenda Abrobeano is a deprived area and lacked so many things, including CHPS compound and proper place of convenience.

For now, Nana Korsah Essandoh said his focus was to help get a CHPS compound for the community by the end of the year, given the importance of health to his people.
After that, he would focus on building a place of convenience as his next priority. Komenda Abrobeano the chief told this paper, has a beautiful beach and his hope is to transform the beach into tourist area.

Touching on education, Nana Korsah Esandoh said about 60 percent of the youth in his community are not into any meaningful work and would do his best to encourage them to go to school.

He added that he would also help those in the fishing vocation to adopt to best fishing practices. This, he would do, by liaising and engaging the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture to come to the area and educate them on best fishing practices.
As a leader, Nana Korsah Essandoh I promised to be transparent and would engage in open door policy with the community.
The youth, he noted, were the community’s major players and advised them to come together to support him as their chief, for the betterment of the community.

 

Workers demand early completion of Takoradi Interchange

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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WR TUC Boss Shirley Breiman addressing the May Day celebrations

The Western Region branch of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) is urging government to expedite work on the PTC Interchange in Takoradi.

The chairperson, Shirley Breiman, highlighted challenges facing workers, citing the region’s poor roads as a major issue. She urged the Western Regional minister to prioritise the completion of the Kwame Nkrumah Roundabout, also known as the PTC Interchange, which is part of the Sino Hydro projects and a major infrastructure in the Western region.

“We urge the Western regional minister to expedite work on the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange (PTC Interchange). We would be grateful if you could utilise your office to ensure that the contractors resume work on-site. Furthermore, we call on the government, employers, and stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue to implement policies addressing our demands.”

Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, while acknowledging the need for urgent action to reset pay and working conditions in Ghana, also assured that government was committed to restoring hope and confidence among workers by ensuring job security and better conditions.

He also emphasized that while government aimed for fairness and transparency, employers, organized labour and civil society have crucial roles to play in achieving common growth.

“Our Galant workers, let me seize this opportunity to assure you that H.E. John Dramani Mahama is indeed here to restore hope and confidence in the economy for secured jobs and better working conditions. Our Economic Policy document known by many as the 2024 Manifesto, ‘Resetting Ghana,’ clearly outlines transformative measures aimed at restoring dignity to the Ghanaian worker”.

He continued, “We are committed to Implementing a Living Wage Policy, expanding social protection schemes to reach the informal sector workers, strengthening institutions like the National Labour Commission to resolve disputes more swiftly and fairly, deepening tripartite engagement and promoting workplace inclusivity, ensuring that women, youth and marginalised groups are not left behind”.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress and Organised labour are advocating for their inclusion in Regional Security Council (RESEC) meetings.
Richard Hanson, the Acting Regional Secretary of TUC, Ghana, for the Western and Western North regions, made the call at the May Day celebration.
“As the majority of Ghana’s working population falls under the Trades Union Congress (TUC), we believe our inclusion in the Regional Security Council (RESEC) would promote peace in the workplace.

“This would enable us to discuss labour issues at the REGSEC level, allowing security agencies to be aware and address them before escalation.

“Although the law doesn’t mandate TUC representation on RESEC, we urge the minister to exercise discretion and include TUC in the RESEC team.”
The May Day celebration, themed “Resetting Pay and Working Conditions in Ghana: The Role of Stakeholders,” also honoured deserving workers from various institutions.

Stakeholders tasked to champion reproductive health 

By
NAABENYIN JOOJO AMISSAH
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Participants at the workshop

A day’s consultative workshop on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights has been organised for stakeholders in Cape Coast, with the aim to foster meaningful partnership among essential stakeholders.

This would help to enhance Ghana’s substantial gains in population management and delivery of sexual and reproductive health services in the country’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal Three (SDG 3) and other relevant ones by 2030.

The workshop, which was put together by Parliamentary Network Africa, was under the theme: Empowering Champions for Reproductive Health Policy Influencing Through Education and Supportive Environments (ECHOES).

Making a presentation on the overview of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Ghana, a population policy analyst & political demographer, Dr Godfred Bonnah Nkansa, disclosed that Ghana’s growth rate stood at 2.1 percent.

This figure, he said, was lower than the continental figure of 2.4%, however, higher than the global rate which stood at 1.1%, a situation he blamed on poverty and lack of appropriate reproductive health education.

Speaking to data from the Ghana Statistical Service, Dr Nkansah mentioned that the relatively poorer populations in the country were giving birth more than the rich and the wealthy.

Responsible drivers

According to Dr Nkansah, four main factors have been identified as being responsible for the country’s high growth rate, which far outweighs Ghana’s slow pace development.

He mentioned child marriage, teenage pregnancy, childbearing and high unmet needs of reproductive services such as family planning, as the identified drivers responsible for the high growth rate.

As a result of the aforementioned drivers, Dr Nkansah noted that about 1.2 million children were born in Ghana every year, a phenomenon that called for multidimensional and multifaceted approach to deal with.

MSI Director’s remarks

In her opening remarks, the Director of Programmes & Operations at Marie Stopes International, Ms Clara Nyakoah Anim, indicated that the ECHOES project sought to drive sustainable progress by strengthening the capacity of key actors.

The actors, she mentioned, included Parliamentarians, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Media who played indispensable roles in information dissemination.

She explained that reproductive health was not a standalone issue, due to the fact that it was intersected with education, economic empowerment, gender equality, and social protection.

She added that “When girls remain in school, when women have access to family planning and when young people are equipped with comprehensive sexuality education, the benefits ripple outward—transforming lives, families, communities, and ultimately, our nation”.

MSI’s partnership with PNAfrica, she said, aimed “to empower champions who can shape, protect, and sustain inclusive policies and laws that ensure access to comprehensive reproductive health services grounded in evidence, equity, and human rights”.

According to Ms Clara Anim, parliamentarians, policymakers, local government officials, and civil society leaders had crucial leadership roles to play in turning the tide.

She said, “You play a vital role in shaping and safeguarding policies that ensure access to youth-friendly services, modern contraception, and environments where every individual is supported to make informed reproductive choices”.

The ECHOES project, she indicated, was a call to action which sought to equip “champions” through capacity building, advocacy, and collaboration to influence institutional policies.

The policies, she noted, must be inclusive, rights-based, and non-discriminatory saying, “Our goal is to ensure that SRHR is not only seen as a health issue but also as a foundational pillar of gender equality, poverty alleviation, education, and national development”.

Funded by MSI Reproductive Choices, the workshop was attended by participants from the media, CSOs, academia, teachers & tutors, opinion and community leaders, as well as chiefs.

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