Ghana will win AFCON 2012 not because of Egypt, other ouster

Veteran coach Emmanuel Kwasi Afranie has stated that Ghana would win the trophy of the upcoming African Cup of Nations tournament base on determination, hard work and commitment on the part of the players.

He however hinted that Ghana was not going to win the cup because of the missing out of countries such as Egypt, Nigeria and Cameroon in this month tournament.

Coach Afranie as he is popularly called said he has been hearing a lot of Ghanaians saying that since the tough teams like Egypt, Nigeria and Cameroon could not make it to the Cup of Nations this time around; Ghana will win the tournament hands down.

According to him, that is a ‘dangerous mistake’ because there are still some equally good teams like Mali, Senegal and Cote d'Ivoirepresent in the tournament.

“Any other team that has qualified to the tournament has equal chances of winning the cup but for Ghana to win, it will depend on how serious we take the competition. In terms of experience and formidability, we have what it takes to win. If we fight hard enough, we will sail through the tournament and bring the Cup home,” Mr Afranie said.

Mr Afranie who was part of the squad that won the African Cup of Nations 30yrs ago –that was the last time Ghana won the tournament, said “it is about time Ghana won the tournament again”.

“It has been 30yrs since we won the cup and I’m happy I was part of the team that won it. I would love to see us win it again,” he happily stated.

Touching on Ghana’s talismanic striker, Asamoah Gyan’s injury-hamstring, Mr Afranie said depending on the tactics the Black Stars coach Goran Stevanovic wants to adopt, he (Mr Afranie ) does not think the should have a problem replacing the injured striker.

“In the absence of Gyan, the coach should vary his tactics and involve more people from the midfield who are hard and can score goals”, he advised.

Mr Afranie therefore appealed to Ghanaian media to leave coach Goran Stevanovic alone so he can deliver as he promised.

The renowned coach indicated that: “The media men and Ghanaians in general should leave the coach alone to do his job. Let us support him to do the right thing. If he panics and becomes nervous, he will make wrong decisions which will affect us all. We are paying for him always. I don’t think he wants to disgrace himself after making a promise to resign if we do not reach the final stage. If Ghana performs well, it will enrich his CV.”

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NDC youth wing is alive and fighting on to Victory in 2012

The Deputy Minister of Information Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said that the youth wing of the National Democratic Congress is alive, strong and matching on to victory in 2012.

Mr Ablakwa made this statement at the National Theatre when he was addressing the Greater Accra youth wing of NDC.

He noted that when their opponents gather their young ones, they teach them how to kill themselves and preach to them a strange doctrine ‘all die be die’. However, when the NDC gathers their youth, they talk about life; they talk about progress and development.

“For the youth of the NDC, we want to live to enjoy the good works of Professor John Evans Attah Mills so that in some generations to come we will enjoy from the better Ghana Agenda. That is why today we won’t be discussing progress that we have made,” Mr Ablakwa said.

“We will be analyzing the challenges that will pop up and also we will be strategizing for victory 2012.”

He stated that if a critical look is taken at the New Patriotic Party (NPP), one will be left with no other conclusion that as young people that –the NPP- is not a party to look up to.

“Any political party that has so an abysmal record, that all their doing is to wait for you to make a mistake, for you to have just one mysterious cocaine disappearance and they start singing ‘yen nyinaa ayƐ pƐpƐƐpƐ’,that is not a party for the young people of this party to look up to.”

“… that tells you that they are aware that they failed so trebly that all their doing is lying in wait for us to also blat so that they will rejoice and tell the electorates that we are all the same.”

Touching on some developmental projects the NDC has carried out in their action year, the Deputy Minister made mention of some of their greatest achievements. Some of these achievements include;

1. Achieving single digit inflation and sustaining it for the longest period ever in the history of this nation.

2. For the first time in the history of the country, the economy is growing at 13.6 per cent.

3. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has granted Ghana the highest loan budget of 3 billion dollars which has never happened in the history of this great nation.

4. As part of their commitment to fight crime and narcotics, the Vice President of this country opened a new forensic science laboratory at the Ghana Police Headquarters.

5. Under the leadership of the NDC, the constitutional review committee has submitted its final report to the President John Evans Attah Mills and it is the first time in this country.

6. Two weeks ago Accra was listed as one of the six clean cities in Africa according to the All African clean city index.

7. In a report released last week, Ghana has been listed as one of the top ten tourist destinations for 2012.

8. The Single Spine Salary structure is now at a completion level of 98 per cent. Every Ghanaian worker is better off today than they were yesterday.

The Minister added that in a football match, those who always want to disrupt the match are people who know that they cannot win the match. “Nana Akuffo-Addo wants to carry the football and go away campaigning for ‘All die be die’. We must not allow him; we know we are winning all the goals to show that we are winning come 2012.”

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There is nothing special about Mills visit to US, Canada

The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper Kwesi Pratt Jnr has pointed out that over the past few years, there has not been a president of Ghana who has not visited the United States (US) more than three, four, five times and therefore he does not see anything special about President Mills visit to the US.

There have been so many reports in the media questioning the authenticity of President Mills vacation in the US and his interaction with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

Mills cleared the cloud of doubt when he was interviewed from US by Radio Gold.

He asked the Radio Gold presenter why he would lie about his visit. “I was there in the company of the Chief of Staff who has also come for certain assignment and we had some very lengthy discussion. They can always check with the UN department.”

Mr Pratt said on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji show that he made his earlier statement – I don’t see anything special about Mills visit- because Ghana is not an Island and therefore needs to engage with the rest of the world “especially the rest of the world who appear to have some interest-negative or positive- in our country.”

He noted that it is important that we as a country engage with the media and people of the US in order to ensure that their propaganda efforts aimed at disabling Ghana and preventing us from controlling our natural resources are dealt with adequately.

Mr Pratt maintained that before the President went on his leave , every aspect of his trip and how he was going to spend his vacation was publicized.

“It is important however to make the point that the President’s visit was publicized way back, long before he left. We knew exactly when he was leaving, we knew that he was going to visit Canada , we knew how long he was going to spend in the US and indeed also we know he is returning to Ghana on the 14th or 15th of December. So there is nothing about the President’s visit which has been kept a secret. Everything about his visit has been in the public domain.”

He said he was so down hearted by the attempt to propagandize the President’s visit and feels worse by the peddling of rumors by General Secretary of the largest opposition party the NPP, which is seeking to capture power come 2012.

Sir John, the General Secretary of the NPP leveled strong allegations against the President; saying President Mills did not meet with the Secretary-General of the UN. This conclusion was made because the UN website apparently did not put up any information that the President has been met immediately.

Mr Pratt questioned that “what is there about the UN Secretary-General the whole President will fake a meeting with him. Does he have all the solutions to the problems that confront us?

He told the show host that he feels so scandalized by the whole development and feels more scandalized by the suggestions that the President is having Kidney failure and as a result, he has been moved to Cuba for medical treatment.

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Ghana climbs up 4 places in FIFA ranking

Ghana has climbed up four places in the latest FIFA world ranking, putting the Black Stars in the 29th position in the World.

Things are looking good for the Stars on the African continent as they are ranked second behind Cote d'Ivoire after defeating Gabon 2-1 in a recent International friendly. Algeria is in the third position and Egypt in the fourth position

Ahead of the 2012 African Nations Cup which will be jointly hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in January, Ghana’s current position could be considered a plus as they prepare for the tournament.

Spain, Netherlands, Germany, and Uruguay respectively, still remain the top four teams in World.

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Doctors are holding the nation Hostage

The General Secretary of the People's National Convention (PNC) Bernard Mornah,has expressed worry over the current situation of striking doctors all over Ghana.

Commenting on the on-going strike by the medical doctors which has lasted about fifteen days, Mr Mornah said on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji show that Ghanaians value the work of their doctors and other health workers but people working in the health sector should always carry ‘a human face’ in the work they do.

“We value the work of our doctors, we value the work of our health workers and we think that in doing that work, they must carry also a human face in what they do,” Mr Mornah said.

“It is not their stay out of work that will certainly resolve the issue but their stay out of work will lead to many elongated health issues, deaths and sometimes complications that would have been averted".

He noted that the Labour Act was enacted by Parliament out of the respect Ghanaians have for laws and institutions.

Out of the Labour Act, it is expected that all labour related disputes are handled by the Labour Commission.

“Unfortunately, it appears that institutions that are even learned and are supposed to understand why we have laws, why we have rules and regulations governing us do not understand.”

There have been many calls by various groups some of which including the Christian council, Muslim council, the Chief Imam’s office among others appealing to doctors to call off the strike but it seems all these calls and appeals fell on deaf ears.

The Country’s population is about 25million. Out of that, there are about 2,000 doctors and according Mr Mornah, the Doctor-Patient population ratio is nothing good to write home about. In every nation, health care delivery is very paramount to economic success.

“All we hear the doctors saying is their work is so essential that they don’t want to compromise on conditions of service. I have said time without number that there is no Ghanaian worker whose work is not essential and that the farmer is essential to the work of a doctor.”

“If the farmer does not produce, the doctor will not get to eat and if you don’t get to eat, you cannot have the energy to go through the basic things you do in a day. If Electricity Cooperation of Ghana decides that they are not going to work, the doctors will certainly not be in the position to operate.”

“If Water company, decide that they are not going to work, doctors cannot operate and none of us can. If the janitors don’t work, the stench in the hospitals will not permit the doctors to have an environment to work. Therefore its beats my imagination that all of a sudden people want to consider superiority and work with it.”

He emphasized that the stance taken by the Ghana Medical Association is not healthy for the growth of our nation.

“ Worker must get themselves up to the standard that they will constantly engage with authority to ensure that there is improvement in their working conditions and that indeed in their income.”

“But you don’t have to hold the whole nation hostage as they are doing now so that at the end of the day, we will have to succumb to them. I find that extremely unacceptable and I pray that doctors will come to some day to realize this.”

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Kwame Nkrumah is the Greatest African in this Millennium-Pratt

The managing editor of the Insight Newspaper and a true Nkrumahist, Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr has acknowledge Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah as not only being the greatest Ghanaian but also as the greatest African in this Millennium.

According to Mr Pratt, Dr Kwame Nkrumah is one of the few people in this world whose works and ideals have changed the world dramatically.

“Indeed, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah is in the category of Einstein , is in the category of persons whose works have changed the world’s understanding of itself and created pathways to the building of a better universe and this is not in dispute”, Mr Pratt said.

“It is important to also acknowledge that Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah is so big that he actually fills the world’s stage. Today Dr Kwmae Nkrumah is studied and his ideas and ideals are applied across the world. This is the man whose 102th birthday was celebrated only a couple of days ago.”

There are some, few as they may, who still continue to attempt to deride the achievements of Dr Nkrumah, to denigrate his personality and to pull his whole contribution to world development.

These persons, according to Mr Pratt, who are mainly in the Dankwa-Busia tradition, will soon come to a realization that “…their effort is comparable to a guy who is using his bare feet to kick against a rock”.

“Those who will get hurt in this process will be non-other than those who are engaged in this campaign of vilification, slander and lies against the Osagyefo. They are the only people who will get hurt in the process”, Mr Pratt noted.

It is important to recall that when Dr Nkrumah was alive and when he led the struggle for the liberation of Africa and indeed contributed significantly to the liberation struggles in Latin America, Asia and other places, many Africans, according to Mr Pratt dropped their nationality and adopted the nationality of Ghana.

“Indeed Nigerians, Liberians, Ugandans and so on, preferred to be known as Ghanaians rather than Liberians, Ugandans and Sierra Leoneans. Indeed, the Ghanaian passport had become a priced item.”

The African Union, through a resolution, adopted the centenary celebration of Dr Kwame Nkrumah as Africa’s own celebration. Aside that, Mr Pratt made mention that centenary of Nkrumah was celebrated everywhere in the world.

“There is no Ghanaian leader who has managed to attain these heights and these heights were not attained from nothing.”

“In discussing Nkrumah’s greatness, it is important to point to the fact that it is his humility, his humble background that makes him greater.”

A young village boy, born in a small village in Nkroful, on a section of the Western Region who in 48yrs rose to the world’s stage and the world not afford not to pay attention to him.

“This is the greatness that we are talking about”, he added.

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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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