IOC lifts ban, Ghana back in London 2012 Olympic Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has lifted Ghana’s suspension eight months after it sanctioned the West African nation for violating its statutes

Board Chairman of the Ghana Sports Council Mr Kojo Bonsu revealed to Radio Gold that the decision to lift the ban was arrived at a meeting which took place in Seoul, South Korea on Friday morning.

In January this year, the IOC suspended the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ghana from competing in the London 2012 games. The IOC cited "political interference" from the Ghanaian government as the reason behind the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ghana's expulsion.

A statement issued on that day by the IOC read "an obvious lack of cooperation of the government authorities in Ghana and a lack of respect of the Ghana public authorities" led to the nation's ban.

But Mr Bonsu who sounded very happy about the move when he told the radio station today that “about an hour ago, I think, in Korea the ban was lifted.”

The decision by the IOC means Ghana may take part in the London 2012 Olympic games. “It means a lot to us because we were out of the Olympic fraternity and we are back in the fold, so that means we will be able to take part in all international events, eg; Olympic Games and other international meets,” Kojo Bonsu said

He was certain with the decision, Ghana could be part of the 2012 Olympics in London and expressed gratitude to Youth and Sports Minister, Clement Kofi Humado; marketing consultant Frank Appiah; Mr. BT Baba of the GOC; Dr Valerie Sawyerr, a Deputy Chief of Staff; National Sports Council CEO, Worlanyo Agra and the Parliamentary legal team for helping to fashion out a package that he said led to the lifting of the ban.

"It means a lot to us because we were out of the Olympic fraternity and we are back in the fold, so that means we will be able to take part in all international events, eg; Olympic Games and other international meets," said Kojo Bonsu.

Could this mean that Ghana will resume receiving its Olympic funding?

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Mills has only two houses

The managing editor of the insight newspaper Kwesi Pratt Jnr has brought to light that the current president of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills, owns only two houses.

Mr Pratt noted that when the news broke that President Mills was acquiring a huge luxurious mansion, Ghanaians were made to believe that the mansion was virtually complete.

“The story went on and on that the mansion was virtually complete. A photograph of an indeed glamorous mansion was published alongside",

Mr Pratt contributing to discussions on the Alhaji and Alhiaji show said when he heard the news about the President acquiring a mansion; he completely dismissed it because he knows President Mills very well.

“Let me tell you something, President Mills some time ago told me personally that he already owns two houses and that every year he has to look for painters to repaint the houses and that a third house will be a problem for him, Mr Pratt revealed.

The Director of Communications at the Presidency, Koku Anyidoho who initially got the facts wrong, came out to say that there was indeed something like that and that the mansion was a token of appreciation.

But Mr Pratt mentioned that when he heard Mr Anyidoho say that the mansion existed and it was a token, he was completely shuttered.

“Masa, how can somebody who will not even receive hampers, who will not take birthday gifts and so on, accept a mansion as a token?”

It later turned out that the facts were completely different, that there was no mansion at all. There was rather an agreement for Regimanuel Gray Limited to provide a guard house, toilet facilities and a bathroom for those guarding the president’s residence. President Mills will be personally responsible for the payment of the facility

When the press was sent to inspect the structure, it turned out that the construction of the structure which was mislabelled as a luxurious mansion, was at its elementary stage and not completed as stated earlier.

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One Minute Beauty

It ticked... tocked... ticked... tocked ...ticked... tocked
Severing ties with an umbilical chord
She arrived;
Her eyes, clear like the blue sky
Her nose, points like her father’s
Her red rose lips blossoms from Eden
Her hair, carefully curled by her creator
Her face, carved by angels, so beautiful
Beauty beyond imagination...

It yet ticks...tocks...ticks...tocks...ticks...tocks
Her firm grip resonates her mother’s strength
She slept like all the troubles in this world had been wiped away.
Suddenly, she smiled in her sleep...
Still ticking...tocking...ticking...tocking...ticking...tocking

Her smile brought tears to my face
Because indeed she was striking
Beauty straight from heaven
The smile faded, turned upside down
She suddenly turned pale
The warm strong grip loosened
The warmth was gone...

Tick...tock...tick...tock...tick...tock
The grip felt cold, icy cold
There was no pulse, her heart turned stone
Deadened by a glance into Medusa’s eyes
Eyes of death
‘Bring back my beautiful girl’
‘Save the product of our love’
She was gone, back to her Creator...

Tick...but the clock did not tock
Neither could I talk
One minute, that is all we had with her
‘Why did u take her away?’
I saw my baby for only a minute
My one minute beauty, the love of my life
Pray for her, keep her safe
Till we meet again in our haven

Dedicated to all parents who lost their babies at birth

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Tears of the Wind

She yelled out of a terrible dream when the clock struck 4. “ooh, its morning already. I have to get the girls ready for school.”

She hurriedly finished her chores, woke her husband up and had a warm bath. It was time to play mummy once again.
“Wake up girls, it is time for school and we don’t want to be late”. Little Naa was carried in her sleep while Ayikai took her mom’s hands and they were marched straight to the bathroom.

“Mummy my toothbrush,” Naa yelled “Mummy my sponge,” Ayikai joined in the exasperating chorus . In about 20mins, the kids were ready for school but they had to go take breakfast while she got ready for work.

She was ready to leave . “Alright girls, let’s get going”. She waited for minute but heard nothing. She moved to the dining and realised the girls had neither a taken a sip nor a slice.

“Naa, Ayikai, won’t you eat your food,” she asked. Naa, the youngest of the girls ran to her and hugged her. She looked really sad, “mummy, I don’t want to go to school today. Please don’t make me go.”
Ayikai also joined in the hug and said: “It’s ok Naa, go eat your food and I’ll take care of you when we get to school ok.” They both sat with their sad faces and ate their food.

She was running late for work. Daddy was already in his car but the Taxi driver who sends the girls to school had not arrived yet.
Just when she brought out her phone to call him, she heard the sound of a car pull into the house. “Madam, I make sorry waa for my lateness,” he said. “My car dey worry me sorry, Fa ts3 mi, ense bio.”
As the taxi started moving out of the compound, Naa and Ayikai waved their parents goodbye.

She got to work late, organised a Press Conference for her boss and before the conference was over, the day had ended. It was 4pm and she had to pick her kids from school. She called up the Taxi driver and asked him to go pick up her kids from school.

She got home at 7pm and her kids were nowhere to be found. “Where are the girls”, she asked her husband through rattling teeth.

“I went to the school and I was told you had asked someone to come pick them up with a taxi so I assumed they were with you at work,” he replied.

The taxi was supposed to bring them home, she yelled as she angrily brought out her phone. After four times of calling, the Taxi driver finally answered, Madam my car spoil oo , I dey come. Your pikkins dey fine, then he ended the call. Nothing annoyed her more than his perverted version of the pigeon language.

She tried to call the line again and this time a strange voice picked the call, hello maame make you stop dey call, you no go see the pikkins again
, the strange voice said but before the call ended, she heard her daughter screaming and crying.
Oh my God, she shouted as she fell to the floor.

“Daddy, our kids have been kidnapped”.

Her husband quickly picked up his phone and called the police. My two daughters have been abducted, he told the police. Few minutes later, the parents where at the police station to put down their statement. The Police inspector then deployed dispatch units to go search for the girls.

Suddenly, Goose pimples rained all over her body, she remembered the terrible dream she had that morning.
In the dream, she was playing with her kids on a road which appeared to be covered with snow when a strong wind blew and carried the two girls away. But as she yelled for help, the girls kept smiling and waving goodbye. That was when she woke up.

She fell to her knees and broke down in tears. “I’ve lost my babies, they are gone, I feel it in my soul. They are gone,” she wailed.

“It wasn't you,” she told her husband, “it was all me, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have allowed them to go with the Taxi driver. Please forgive me.”

Her husband hugged her tight and as the tears rolled down his cheeks, he murmured, it was never your fault, I will never blame you. God gives and He takes away. I need you to be strong for me.

A couple of days later, the Taxi was found with body parts in the boot. The police together with her husband identified the part and confirmed that the body parts were that of the kids.

The driver was apprehended by the police at his hideout in no man’s land. He is to appear before a court on the counts of abduction and first degree murder.

What happens to this murderer is up to God and the court.

What happens to the family –the mother and father- is another story .

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