Author: newsfilegh

Avram Grant has given a strong indication his time as Ghana coach will end after the Africa Cup of Nations. The 61-year-old former Chelsea coach’s contract expires at the end of the tournament in Gabon. “I came for two years in Ghana, we extended to two years and three months because we qualified for the Nations Cup,” Grant told BBC Sport. “I will always take good memories from here, but hopefully the last memory will be the best one.” Leading Ghana to the title in Gabon, and ending the Black Stars’ 35-year wait to win the Nations Cup for a…

A deadline for defeated President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia to leave office or be forced out by UN-backed forces at 16:00 GMT has expired with no news. The earlier deadline of noon passed as the Guinean and Mauritanian presidents arrived in Banjul for last-ditch talks. There has been no statement from them. Mr Jammeh’s elected successor, Adama Barrow, was sworn in as president at a ceremony in Senegal on Thursday. Troops acting in support of President Barrow have paused their advance. The forces from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) regional grouping are backed by the United…

Minister-designate for National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, says he was not the Interior minister when a ship carrying cocaine docked in the country in 2006, hence could not have been dismissive of any information to that effect. A member of the public had petitioned the Appointments Committee of Parliament that Mr Kan-Dapaah failed to act when information about the arrival of the MV Benjamin ship arrived in the country. But during his vetting Friday, Mr Kan-Dapaah dismissed the claim saying “With regard to the cocaine that came into the country, in actual fact, I was not even the minister. I was…

The Appointments Committee of Parliament has decided to vet National Security Minister-designate in-camera. This is due to the sensitive nature of some of the questions to be asked Albert Kan Dapaah. Mr Kan Dapaah is the second ministerial nominee of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to be vetted on Friday, January 20. The preliminary session was, however, conducted in the presence of all with Member of Parliament for Bodi Samson Ahi given the final right to ask a question. His question bordered on the recent takeovers of state assets by persons suspected to be members of the ruling party. Chaired…

Ghana’s economy is fundamentally strong, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo Minister-designate has said, but noted that it will only take a disciplined regime to create an economy that can be described as booming. Answering questions at Parliament’s Appointment Committee on Friday, Mr. Osafo-Maafo indicated that the lack of discipline by the previous Mahama-led government exposed what he calls an economy  that was “not in best of shape”. Nonetheless, the Senior Minister-designate assured the nation that the Akufo-Addo-led government has what it takes to turn the economy around, the more reason why the New Patriotic Party was voted into power. “It is doable”,…

Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. The property tycoon won an unexpected victory in November’s election after a controversial campaign. Hundreds of thousands of supporters and protesters are travelling to Washington DC for the event. Thousands of police have been deployed and many kilometres of crowd barriers set up as part of a vast security operation. Addressing supporters on Thursday night at a pre-inaugural concert, Mr Trump pledged to unify America, bring change and make the country great “for all of our people”. Meanwhile in New York, thousands of people…

The Upper West Regional Fire Service has threatened to close down a Goil Gas Station in Wa if management fails to adhere to fire safety measures within a week. The defects at the Station came to light during a training programme organized for fuel station managers and pump attendants to prevent and manage fire disasters. The Fire Precautions Regulations 2003 mandates the Service to ensure that property owners or occupants manage the various risks on their premises through regular training and fire prevention practices. It is against this background that it organized the training workshop. A demonstration was done at…

Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo, Senior Minister-designate, has revealed he strongly disagrees with the decision to have a 40-year Development Plan for the nation. The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) designed the 40-year-plan which implementation begins in 2018.  The Plan would comprise 10 medium-term plans, each of four-year duration, spanning 10 general elections (2020-2056) and be reviewed every ten years by Parliament to keep it current and relevant. But Mr. Osafo Maafo Friday told Parliament’s Appointments Committee when he appeared before Members that, “I do not believe in planning in excess of 10 years”. He maintained that his view was made “clear”…

Senior Minister-designate Yaw Osafo-Maafo has expressed befuddlement at reports that his position is more or less like a Prime Minister. “That baffles me,” he stressed at his vetting on Friday, January 20. Mr Osafo-Maafo became the first ministerial nominee of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to face Parliament’s Appointments Committee after assuming the seat at the Speaker’s Conference Room Thursday morning. His position had come up on the floor of Parliament after Member for Bawku Central Mahama Ayariga said it was not captured in the 1992 Constitution. The former Youth and Sports Minister followed up with an open letter…

Kumasi has bounced back to life hours after the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, was laid to rest on Thursday night. Businesses and schools within the metropolis, which remained shut on Thursday, have resumed operations as vehicular and human congestion builds up. All business activities in Kumasi came to a halt on the burial day in honour of the final interment of the late Asantehemaa. The central business district of Kumasi was a ghost town as streets were deserted of vehicles and people. Banks, shops and basic schools were all shut in honour of the late queenmother.…