Ghana Premier League side Accra Hearts of Oak have sacked coach Samuel Boadu after a disappointing start to 2022/23 season. Boadu, 36, and his backroom staff; assistant coach Hamza Obeng and goalkeepers trainer, Eric Amponsah, have all been directed to stay away from the team's training grounds with immediate effect. In the interim, the coach of Hearts Under 20 team, Samuel Nii Noi will be assisted by Benjamin Mensah to take charge of the team until a substantive head coach is appointed. Reasons In a statement, the club said "there is the need for a new direction and the energy to ensure its broader objectives are achieved and it feels the time for that new direction is now" "The Board and management will like to thank Samuel Boadu and his assistants for their contribution to our history and the memories - which will always remain with us. The club will like to wish them the best of luck in their future endeavours", the statement added. "In the interim, the coach of the U20-Samuel Nii Noi who will be assisted by Benjamin Mensah will take charge of the team until a substantive head coach is appointed. "We wish to assure all fans that, the club is taking all the necessary steps including assistance from our CVCA partners in this effort at restructuring the technical team" Boadu's Hearts reign Boadu was appointed Hearts coach in March 2021 on a three-and-a-half year deal following the exit of Serbian Kosta Papic. The young tactician was prised away from Medeama SC with a lucrative monthly salary reported to be in the region of $2,500 and a GH₵70,000 enticement fee. During his time with the Phobians, he found success both on and off the pitch, winning five trophies in less than two years. He won the 2020/2021 Ghana Premier League, the FA Cup twice (2021, 2021), the Ghana Super Cup and the President's Cup. He also found love, marrying Felicia Apimpanta in August 2021. However, he found it much tougher in Hearts first CAF inter-club campaign since 2015. His side suffered a crushing 6-2 aggregate defeat to Wydad AC in the CAF Champions League and a 4-2 aggregate loss to JS Saoura in the Confederation Cup in 2021. In his second GPL season, his side also lost the league title to rivals Kumasi Asante Kotoko and finished in a disappointing sixth place. Replacements Among the early frontrunners for Boadu's job are former Kotoko coach Prosper Narteh Ogum who is without a club after leaving the Porcupine Warriors and 55-year-old Dutchman Erik van der Meer. Poor form His fate appeared to have been sealed by a disappointing start to the season with the Phobians winless after three games - one loss and two draws. Boadu also had one win in his last eight GPL matches, recording one win, three draws and four defeats. His team also scored five goals and conceded 14 goals during that run. Credit: Graphicnonline.com

Minister for Communications and Digitalization (MoCD), Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has reiterated government’s commitment to building strong partnerships and formulating policies for digital technologies that would drive the socio-economic development of the country as well as position Ghana as the digital gateway to the African continent. Ghana considers the collaborative platforms initiated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the various Regional and Global partnerships essential to the growth of not only the Africa Region but all Member States for a collective benefit. She said “to this end, Ghana will continue to serve the ITU community, and as we seek reelection to the Council, we are counting on your vote and support to retain Ghana as a Council member to continue serving you diligently” She indicated that the the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with the Secretariat headquartered in Ghana was a pointer to the African Continent-wide marketing strategy powered by digitalization. "We are therefore extending our digital infrastructure to our borders to enable seamless connection to our neighbors”. Commending the Romania government for hosting the 2022 International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-2022) in Bucharest, the Hon. Minister stated that Ghana was fully committed to the strategic direction set by the ITU to ensure the universal connectivity that would propel the needed global digital transformation. The objective of the 2022 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference was to provide the avenue for Member State parties to set the Union’s General Policy direction; Adopt the 4-year strategic and financial plans; Elect the Senior Management Team of the Union and to elect the Member States of the Council. “Closing the digital divide to facilitate equitable connectivity, which is vital to support the economic transformation of Ghana, our primary objective, "We are of the opinion that we can transform Covid19 from a global crisis to an opportunity through digital technology”, she added. According to Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, the government has also introduced initiatives that is aimed at narrowing the digital divide and empower citizens to embrace the use of ICT. She revealed that the implementation of the Rural Telephony project had already connected over 3 million people, noting that, the previously unconnected people now had equal access to the innovations which were introduced by the Government in Ghana’s digital transformation journey under the leadership of the H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The Minister also outlined the following initiatives geared towards achieving digital inclusion for all. "Mobile money interoperability which has brought over 15 million previously unbanked persons onto the financial digital platform, the National Identity Card as a single purpose e ID for all digital transactions to prevent identity theft and cyber fraud and Digital skills development offered through a nationwide network of Digital Transformation Centres to benefit over 20,000 Women Entrepreneurs, Master Trainers, Youth, and Children in Coding Clubs over the past 12 months. "Focused interventions to reduce the gender digital divide and create opportunities for the youth through the Girls in ICT program and nurturing of new businesses at Digital Incubation Centres" She said that the government was also taking all the prerequisite steps to ensure secure and resilient cyberspace for sustained digital transformation while bearing in mind the utilization of ITU guidelines. “Ghana is actively promoting cybersecurity not only for our benefit but for the sub-region as a whole. Ghana’s ranking on the 2021 ITU Global Cybersecurity Index improved to 86.69%, up from 32.6% in 2017. We seek partnerships and international cooperation to do even better for our entire sub-region” she explained. "The Government of Ghana is determined to provide the necessary digital infrastructure, a conducive legal and regulatory environment, build digital capabilities to enhance the adoption and use of ICT and digital innovation, and close all digital gaps to propel our digital transformation. In pursuit of this, Ghana reiterates its commitment to working with the ITU to achieve its strategic objectives for the benefit of all ITU Member States.” Below are some pictures: Story by: Thinknewsonline.com

Covid-19 is said to be on the rise within staff of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. According to an internal memo sighted by 3news.com, the cases were recorded between Sunday, September 11 and Friday, September 23. It is emerging that staff of the hospital will be vaccinated. Credit: 3news.com

After the drama that characterised the first hearing of the case involving Aisha Huang and 3 other Chinese Nationals at the Accra Circuit Court 9, the galamsey Kingpin and her counterparts are expected to make another appearance in court today, September 27, 2022. This comes following her 2nd appearance in court on September 14, 2022 where the court denied herself and her 3 counterparts bail on several grounds. Ms. Huang who is facing six charges relating to illegal mining activities, together with 3 other Chinese nationals, were remanded by the court on Monday, September 5, 2022. Until September 16, Aisha was facing two charges of mining along with three other accomplices, in an Accra Circuit Court, after they were arrested earlier this month including mining without license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals. The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, had hinted following the re-arrest of Huang that he would reopen a case discontinued in 2018 against her. Four new charges were filed at the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court on Friday, September 16, 2022. The virtual hearing took place in the court of Justice Lydia Marfo. The charges are undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry. The court denied the accused persons bail after lead counsel Nkrabea-Effah Dartey on Wednesday, September 14, asked the court to grant his client and her three other Chinese counterparts bail. Aisha Huang’s request according to GhanaWeb’s court reporter was objected to by the prosecution. According to the prosecution, new arrests have been made therefore granting the accused persons bail may give them the opportunity to interfere with witnesses and investigations. The prosecution while citing public interest in the matter also argued that Aisha Huang has a history of sneaking in and out of the country and is therefore a flight risk. The court in agreeing with the prosecution’s argument remanded the accused persons into custody to reappear on Tuesday, September 27, 2022. Drama in court: Chinese galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang broke down in tears while in court on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. While it is unclear what warranted her tears, earlier reports from GhanaWeb’s correspondent indicated that one of her colleagues; the second accused; Johng Li Hua, herself a Chinese, fell sick during court proceedings and broke down in tears. According to her lawyer, Frank Kumako, his client, Johng Li was on some medications per information from her family. She was subsequently rushed to the hospital after she collapsed in the courtroom. Credit: Ghanaweb.com

Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh together with senior officials of the Petroleum Commission, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation(GNPC) and GOIL are seeking to promote five (5) available oil blocks offshore Ghana at an oil and gas roadshow in Houston, Texas, United States of America. According to the Minister, the five (5) available oil blocks offshore Ghana include; Deep-Water Cape Three Points Block, Offshore Cape Three Points South Block and Shallow Water Cape Three Points Block. It also includes the Southwest Saltpond Block as well as the Expanded Shallow Water Tano (ESWT) Block. Speaking at the strategic roadshow event, Dr. Prempeh said "Ghana has four Sedimentary basins of significance to oil and gas namely; Western, Central, Eastern and the Voltaian. The Western basin has Ghana’s three actively producing deepwater oil and gas fields" Dr. Prempeh added that the Voltaian basin is onshore and the remaining two are largely offshore. Most parts of the offshore basins are open for E&P activities. “GNPC is currently exploring the Voltaian Basin to establish its prospectivity, following which the basin will be open to investors” he said The Minister who is also Member of Parliament for Manhyia South told investors that the Jubilee Field became Ghana’s first commercial deepwater discovery which further deepened the interest for deepwater exploration in Ghana. “Having fast-tracked the development of the Jubilee Field, first commercial oil production commenced in December 2010, barely 40 months from discovery” he added. He continued “two new fields (Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN) Field and Sankofa – Gye Nyame Field) have since been brought onstream for production in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The three producing (3) fields currently provide an average daily production of about 150,000 bbl/d from a peak production rate approximately 200,000 bbl/d.” He further stated that Ghana’s stable political and business climate, its highly prospective sedimentary basin with commensurate high exploration success rate, its guaranteed and attractive fiscal terms and the well-defined legal and regulatory framework. Opoku Prempeh also highlighted the availability of an existing architecture to support infrastructure-led exploration, which shortens the time between exploration and production. He thus urged investors to find in Ghana a friend and partner. The Minister will on Thursday ( 22 September) participate in a roundtable discussion together with colleague Ministers at the Africa-Houston Energy Summit and it is expected that he will be heavy on the investment opportunities in Ghana’s upstream petroleum space. Below are some pictures: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Founder and CEO of the Atta Mills Institute, Samuel Koku Anyidoho has called for support for Akufo-Addo's government to help liberate the country from its current economic struggles. He said Ghanaians must pray for President Akufo-Addo and his ministers as they work to find solutions to the country's challenges. In a tweet spotted by Modernghana News on Sunday, September 25, the former NDC deputy General Secretary stated that Ghana needs divine intervention at this critical moment. “I am more than convinced that we must go on our knees and genuinely pray for the President and Mother Ghana because we definitely need the divine intervention of God for Him to bless our Homeland Ghana 🇬🇭 Thank God the President himself is on his knees praying,” he posted as a caption to picture of the President and himself praying on their knees in separate places. On Saturday, the President was at the Global Citizens Concert organised at Black Stars Square. While mounting the stage to deliver a speech, President Akufo-Addo was subjected to booing by a section of the crowd. The youth clapped their hands while shouting ‘away’ 'away.' This has generated huge debates on social media as NPP and NDC engage in a 'dog fight.' Credit: Modern Ghana

Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Dankwa has revealed that her outfit is working to retrieve misappropriated money captured in the Auditor General’s report. According to her, the investigation forms part of her outfit's mandate adding that it also gives them the opportunity to retrieve all lost monies. Speaking at the office of the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council, she said "When you look at the Auditor General’s report, every year when it comes out, we don’t let it go like that. We take it district by district, item by item, and we look at how we can recover some of the issues raised in the Auditor General’s report.” The Executive Director also stressed that EOCO also investigates and prosecutes individuals and entities which have committed offences. “Where we need to investigate further, we will. Those we can recover for government, we will. These are ways we can work together for our mutual benefit.” Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah ceased the opportunity to challenged female police officers to give out their best in the service COP Tiwaa also a former director of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service told female police to give out their best in the service. "Females currently make up 29% of the Ghana Police Service and said, if the females work hard enough, the service will have a reason to take more to meet the United Nations ratio of 40%" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

A total of 23,495 people tested positive for HIV in the first half of this year, according to statistics from the National STIs and HIV/AIDS Control Programme. As result, a network of institutions leading the HIV and AIDS response in the country has begun national stakeholder engagements as part of processes to review interventions for better outcomes. The Ghana HIV&AIDS Network (GHANET), a non-profit organisation leading HIV interventions in the country, said the move had become necessary because despite efforts at reducing new infections and ending AIDS, the desired impact seemed far from being achieved. Speaking at one of such stakeholder engagements in Accra, the President of the network, Ernest Ortsin, said the surge, coupled with undesired outcomes, justified how critical it had become for stakeholders to have a rethink of existing interventions to help keep the surge under control. Event The workshop was organised by the network, in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP). It was on the theme: “Rethinking HIV interventions for vulnerable populations in the country”. Participants included media persons, policy makers, representatives of the security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, market women, among others. They deliberated on new programmes and interventions to adopt for action in the next Country Operational Plan (COP). Interventions, challenges A public health consultant and Vice-Chair of the Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund, Dr Nii Nortey Hanson-Nortey, mentioned the key focus of national interventions to include mass education, testing, administration of pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, promotion of condom use and anti-retroviral treatment. He, however, said stigmatisation, the use of only clinical approach for the administration of pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis and anti-retroviral treatment as some of the major setbacks in its effort. The consultant added that stigma reduction, risk and behavioural change communication, which were some of the pragmatic measures in tackling the spread of the disease, were characterised by non-targeted and fatigued messaging, as well as cultural norms, and said they were the reasons a rethinking was necessary. Dr Hanson-Nortey also claimed that there were indications of insufficient political will, weak health systems and inadequate support for community-based organisations which were hampering progress. “People should begin to rethink and not hide their HIV/AIDS status; after all, it is like a chronic disease which is not only acquired through sex but also contracted,” he said. He also said there should be access to condoms for both genders, irrespective of their ages, since research had shown that increasing the availability of condoms helped in the reduction of the HIV/AIDS burden “Our social system makes it difficult for a young person to go to the pharmacy to purchase a condom because he/she will be tagged as being a prostitute and soliciting for sex,” he said. According to him, stigma in communities had a widespread impact on both HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, including making individuals less willing to be tested or put on treatment. Way forward Other speakers said reducing new infections and ending AIDS were a shared responsibility because their impact was felt by all. They said people must know their status to ensure maximum treatment percentage coverage, which could lead to a high percentage of people with viral load suppression and unable to transmit. They also advised people to stay safe by adhering to preventive protocols, such as avoiding unprotected sex with people they were not sure of, among other measures. The NACP Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Rev. Kenneth Ayeh Danso, said in 2021, data estimated that 345,599 people lived with HIV and AIDS in the country. “As of June 2022, only 262,042 people were on anti-retroviral therapy (ART), consisting of five per cent children and 75 per cent females. “The statistics are an indication that men are not reporting, a situation that needs to be reversed for us to reach the 95-95-95 goals,” he said. Credit: Graphiconline.com

Minister for Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD), Ursula Owusu-Ekuful (MP), has reaffirmed Ghana's commitment to leaving no one digitally behind. This she said can be achieved by collectively focusing attention within the next eight (8) years, towards the attainment of the ICT-enabled sustainable development goals and targets by 2030. According to her, the government of Ghana, under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Co-Chair of the Group of Eminent Advocates for the United Nations’ SDGs, was committed to the global strategy of working together to improve lives everywhere through technology deployment. "This is even more critical as the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economies of all nations, makes it imperative for our governments to accelerate digital transformation as the key for our economic recovery", she noted. The Hon. Minister was speaking at a Round Table meeting today at the Ministerial Roundtable Sessions on the topic: *"Building a Better Digital Future For All"* at the Palace of Parliament, Human Right Hall in Bucharest, Romania . The meeting forms part of preparations ahead of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference, 2022 and it's scheduled for 26th September to 14th October 2022. The Minister said Ghana has started the preparation to facilitate the expansion of digital infrastructure aimed at opening up broadband access to accelerate the provision of meaningful content and smart services that would benefit all citizens in the country. "The bridging of the digital divide is a major concern of Government and we continue to create digital opportunities for the marginalised, the elderly, and people in rural, remote, and underserved areas under our Universal Telecommunications/ICT Fund Management", Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said. She therefore stated that government was also implementing strategic policies that would ensure inclusiveness of inculcating basic digital literacy in the educational curricula and also putting up community-based digital laboratories while been mindful that digital skills development was the cornerstone of digital transformation. Touching on gender technological gap, she indicated that, Ghana had prioritised digital gender equality and that women and girls were encouraged and empowered to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. "We are committed to a cross-sectoral approach to development and enhanced collaboration with the private sector to aid rapid digital transformation. The Government of Ghana continues to work towards the creation of a fair regulatory environment and stability through the development of new spectrum farming policies to encourage the private sector to roll out new generation infrastructure and provide affordable and meaningful connectivity", Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful said. She emphasised the need to build confidence, trust, and security of cyberspace so as to promote a safe digital /ICT ecosystem. "It was important to work with the guidelines provided by the ITU and other global cooperation networks, and also work with other neighbours to build a Regional cyber space that would be resilient to attacks", she added. She noted that Ghana is committed to the global growth strategy that we have given ourselves under the guidance of the ITU to ensure that all nations pursue a path of digital transformation that will enhance meaningful universal connectivity and access". Below are some pictures: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Aside from his spectacular performance, British rapper Stormzy’s shirt caught attention when patrons realised the legend featured on his shirt. Stormzy wore a black tee with one of Daddy Lumba’s album cover imprinted on the front. In a statement published on his official Facebook account, Daddy Lumba acknowledged that extraordinary guy man and his grand gesture. “I was immensely touched by Stormzy’s homage to me last night at the Global Citizen Festival. I would like to take this opportunity to share my gratitude and appreciation for the public display of love. To say that the gesture was heartwarming and humbling is an understatement. Thank you very much!” Daddy Lumba is considered a legend in his own right for his immense contribution to the proliferation of the Ghanaian highlife genre. The Global Citizen Festival was a night which will go down in history as one of Ghana’s biggest live concerts at the Black Star Square in Accra. Stormzy, Usher and Sza’s graced the African continent with a thrilling performance alongside artists from Ghana and Nigeria. Credit: 3news.com

Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Shaibu has assured that early child marriage, a worrying phenomenon in his region will soon be a thing of the past. According to the Minister, the issue must be a concern to all adding that a collective effort will not only save the lives of young and ignorant girls but also give them a better future. In an exclusive interview with Thinknewsonline.com, in Accra on Sunday, the Minister said "Well, it should be a concern to all of us and you have realized that most of these children do not stay long in school and that is why we see these. But with the advent of this Free SHS, we are having a lot of female students in schools now and that is the reason issues of child marriage has reduced drastically” “I can tell you that very soon, it will be a thing of the past” Touching on Teenage Pregnancy in his region, he noted that young girls are frequently educated on it as well as its dangers hence the low records attained" “The health indicates that we produced will tell you that teenage pregnancy is on the low ascendance in the Northern Region. It is very low” Further reacting to the Bagri Dam Spillage, the Regional Minister “They (GWCL) are going to shut down not because they want to shut down but it is the situation they find themselves in because, if the water level increases up to a point that they cannot operate, and if they have their machines submerge in water, then definitely, they cannot use them to produce so they have to shut down" “What can the RESEC do? They cannot stop the water from flowing from the Bagri Dam because this is the raining season of the northern part of the country and any water that comes has a root either through the White or Black Volta or OTI or Dakar River and all these runs into the Volta Lake, so until the water recedes into the Volta Lake, there is nothing we can do” Responding to Fulani Herdsmen, he said “Of course if you do something which is not good, you will be arrested and we have a lot of them running in the law courts of the country" The Minister revealed that some Fulani Herdsmen have been imprisoned after they were found to be guilty of some offences. Hon. Shani Alhassan Shaibu, however, appealed to both local and foreign investors to inject the necessary capital in various sectors of his region's economy. "There is much to be achieved for the Northern Region in view of the huge potentials at our disposal. In this regard, I wish to use this opportunity to call on investors to inject the necessary capital in various sectors of our economy" The Minister underscored the importance of peace in sustainable development, adding that, his region cannot be over emphasized. "Peace is an unmovable foundation for a just and prosperous society and security. It is collective responsibility for all and sundry" The Regional Minister thanked the Akufo-Addo Administration for the Tamale International Airport and other major projects been commissioned in his region. He revealed that about $70 Million was injected into the Tamale International Airport project. Some other achievements, the Minister touted include; health, transport and 1D1F. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Negotiations for an enhanced domestic programme (EDP) for Ghana after the country applied for bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are scheduled to begin today, Monday, September 26. The Mission from IMF led by Stéphane Roudet arrived in Ghana over the weekend for the discussions to begin. Ghana’s team will be led by Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta. The IMF Mission will be in the country for the next two weeks with the discussions scheduled to end on Friday, October 7. The EDP Ghana is seeking is to restore macro-economic stability and debt sustainability. The IMF has assured that the $3-billion deal will be sealed by year-end. In a closed-door meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo earlier this month, on the sidelines of the Africa Adaptation Summit in Rotterdam, Netherlands, IMF’s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told him “we understand the urgency, and we will move as quickly as possible”. “We have started very constructive discussions already and to the people of Ghana, like everybody on this planet, you have been hurt by exogenous shocks,” she said. The Mission is expected to meet major stakeholders including officials from the Bank of Ghana, Finance Ministry, industry and others in the next two weeks. A team led by Carlo Sdralevich was in the country in July to engage this same stakeholders on the perfect deal for Ghana. The team concluded thus “Ghana is facing a challenging economic and social situation amid an increasingly difficult global environment. The fiscal and debt situation has severely worsened following the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, investors’ concerns have triggered credit rating downgrades, capital outflows, loss of external market access, and rising domestic borrowing costs" “In addition, the global economic shock caused by the war in Ukraine is hitting Ghana at a time when the country is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic shock and with limited room for maneuver. These adverse developments have contributed to slowing economic growth, accumulation of unpaid bills, a large exchange rate depreciation, and a surge in inflation.” Credit: 3news.com