Lionel Messi has opened his Paris Saint-Germain goal account in typically stunning fashion, scoring a beauty against Manchester City. Messi doubled his side's advantage with an absolute scintillating goal. He started the attack from the right wing, going on a mazy run before picking out Kylian Mbappe who returned the ball with an outrageous flick. Messi then curled a wonderful strike into the back of the net to score his first PSG goal. Messi's first goal for his new club also brings up his 121st Champions League goal. It's also his 27th strike against an English club. A remarkable statistic considering he has never played in the Premier League. Story by: Nasir Jabbar

The GH¢1 and GH¢2 notes will soon be phased out of the Ghanaian economy. This was made known by the Governor of the Central Bank, Dr, Ernest Addison on Monday, September 27, 2021. Dr. Addison said the two notes which are usually not in good shape will be replaced by their respective coins. “The GH¢1 note and GH¢2 note would eventually be phased out because they are not cost-effective in terms of the printing cost”. “They circulate very widely and come back very torn and soiled, and they are very difficult for our currency processing machines to process”. He further said that, “We have bales of GH¢1 notes that we are not able to process. So the view for the longer term is more or less get out of the GH¢1 and GH¢2 notes and use the GH¢1 and GH¢2 coins”. “You will recall that the GH¢2 note was issued as a commemorative note. So commemorative notes are not notes that we will continue to print and therefore what we have done in the last two years is to introduce the GH¢2 coins, and you would expect that, eventually, it would more or less play the role that the GH¢2 note is playing”. Ghana currently has GH¢1, GH¢2, GH¢5, GH¢10, GH¢20, GH¢50, GH¢100 and GH¢200 in notes while one pesewa, ten pesewas, 20 pesewas, 50 pesewas, one cedi and two cedis are coins. GH¢153 million spent on printing Ghana currency The Bank of Ghana in 2018 spent over GH¢153 million to print the country’s legal tender, the cedi. The amount included the actual cost of printing the Ghana cedi, fees paid to the agency that supervised the printing process, as well as what the central bank described as other currency expenses. $8.97m spent on printing new 100, 200 cedi notes The Government of Ghana also spent some $8.97 million on printing the new 100 and 200 cedi notes, which were introduced in November 2019. Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, who was responding to questions on the process in Parliament in March 2020 said: “This is made up of $4.45 million and $4.53 million for the GHS100 and GHS200 notes respectively”. Credit: Citinewsroom

The Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has urged the Information Services Department to adopt modern technology to meet the current trend of information dissemination. He said the 1939 Information Services Department (ISD) could not function effectively and efficiently in 2021 if it was not modified to meet the present drifts in disseminating government information. He said the current media landscape required dynamism and the ISD must be retooled to bring it up to the speed to meet the challenges of this time. Mr Oppong Nkrumah, who was interacting with the staff of the Ministry of Information and ISD at a durbar, disclosed that the blueprint to transform the Department to fit for purpose in contemporary times was at the final stage of approval. He said the transformational agenda of the Department has been broken into four phases and phase one involves the restructuring of the organisational chart and realignment of the staff to new Divisions and Sections created with the support of the Management Services Division of the Office of the Head of Civil Service. Phase two will involve training and retraining of officers to man the new Divisions and Sections efficiently, he added. He disclosed that phase three of the programme involves renovation and refurbishment of all the offices of the Department across the country which has already started with the Research Division, Public Relation Coordination Division, Media Division and Access to Information (RTI) Division at the Head-office. Mr Oppong Nkrumah added that the Public Education Division, Policy Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation, Division, Administration and Human Resource Division and Finance which have been created would soon be renovated if the government approved and released funding for the transformational agenda. He hinted that the last phase of the programme involves procurement of the needed logistics such as modern office equipment and cinema vans that would make the Department disseminate government information through multifaceted channels – online media channels, radio and television, newspapers and cinema vans. He announced the government was in the process of procuring 260 modern cinema vans fitted with LED to enable Regional and District Information Officers to screen government information at any time of the day. Story by: Patience Anaadem

Information reaching Thinknewsonline.com indicates that Legendary Highlfe Musician, Nana Ampadu has died at the age of 76. According to sources, the legend passed on to glory in the early hours of Tuesday September 28, 2021 at his residence at Akweteyman, a community in the Greater Accra Region. It is however unclear what led to the demise of the Highlife great. PROFILE OF NANA AMPADU Nana Kwame Ampadu was a household name in Ghana and beyond. His style of music is loved by all, both kids and adults. The Obo-Kwahu native in the Eastern Region, composed and recorded songs about money, love and marriage, good citizenship, greed, drunkenness, death, road manners for commercial drivers, effective parenting, social stratification and virtually every aspect of our being in this country. Tracks like Ebi Ti Yie, Aku Sika, Kofi Nkrabea, Obiaa Ba Nnye, Woyoo Woyoo, Mother, Mentumi Ngyae Wo, Agartha, Aye Se Ye Do Wo, Obra, Drivers, Anibere Nnye, Oman Bo Adwo, Kwaata and many others were popular at different times. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has announced that Ghana is set to partake in a six months EXPO 2020 DUBAI scheduled for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to the Trade and Industry Ministry, Ghana’s participation will not only afford the country the opportunity to showcase itself to the world and but also try to get investors to invest here. Addressing Journalists on Monday, the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Herbert Krapa said "The Expo will showcase the business and investment opportunities in Ghana to the global business community, to attract Foreign Direct Investment into the country" He also explained that his Ministry is collaborating with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Information among to ensure the delegation from Ghana are sorted. On his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GHana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Yoofi Grant said "Ghana: Limitless Opportunities” is the theme the nation has chosen for the EXPO and would enable ministers of state and government officials as well as private sector players to present and explain various business and investment opportunities available in Ghana to a global audience. Mr. Grant hinted that the Ghanaian delegation have set out various activities it will be undertaking at the 6 months Expo. He stressed that Ghana will be looking at projecting its agriculture and agro processing, water and sanitation, culture and creative arts, food security, housing and construction, tourism and hospitality, lands and natural resources, environment and climate change issues. Mr. Grant hinted that for the next 6 months, the Ghanaian Team tends to project each of the underliste and ensure they woo Foreign Investors to pump their monies into Ghana. He hinted that with the level of preparedness of the Ghanaian, no stone will be left unturned at the Dubai Expo 2020 Thinknewsonline.com has gathered that the Dubai Expo is likely to bring under one umbrella about 122 countries across the world and over 30 million participants. It is emerging Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo will lead a delegation from Ghana to the EXPO on March 8. President Akufo-Addo is expected to hold a Presidential Roundtable discussions on government to business engagement, and networking session with private sector players on investment opportunities in Ghana. However, Ghana’s Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, will set the ball rolling as she will mount the podium and projext Ghana to the over 30 million people from 122 countries across the world. Watch the video below: Story by Joshua Kwabena Smith

SEND GHANA, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has charged the Ghanaian media to drive the economic and public health impact of epidemics in Ghana. According to the NGO, epidemics has led to mortality, affected livelihoods of individuals, households, collapsed businesses and stall the growth of the economy. Speaking at a media engagement in Accra, a Senior Programmes Officer with SEND Ghana, Harriet Nuamah Agyemang said " Ghana has developed a costed national action plan for health security aimed adequately preparing and effectively responding to epidemics, however, implementation of this plan is challenged by limited or no funding devoted to it" She added that to be able to draw the attention of government to the necessity of the plan and to influence decisions for annual budget funding allocation with evidence, a study desk was undertaken by SEND GHANA to assess the economic and public health impact of the disease in the country. "The relevance of reminding ourselves of periodically of the devastating effects of epidemics cannot be downplayed" she noted. She told Journalists that their findings of the review points to the fragility of the country’s economy. "Epidemics of high magnitudes such as COVID-19 affected economic performance and stalled growth by reducing overall projected gross domestic product (GDP) from 6.8percent to less than one percent" Madam Agyemang stressed that the epidemic outbreaks have resulted in revenue loss, increased morbidity among the working class, limited movements and slowdown of intra and international trades which leads to loss productivity. She mentioned that government must provide the leadership and work to protect and sustain gains made by strengthening intergovernmental and public and private sector collaboration to improve health service delivery and contain future epidemic outbreak. She charged Journalists to devote time and drum home the causes and effects of epidemics in Ghana and also challenge authorities to see the need to channel their attention to. Madam Agyemang hinted that if the media takes up the fight and pushes the appropriate authorities of which they act on it, the country’s health sector will be one of best in the world About SEND Ghana: SEND Ghana is a subsidiary of SEND Foundation of West Africa, founded in August 1998. The organisation was established to build advocacy at the grassroots level to enable local communities in remote areas to engage the government and ensure their rights to benefits from national policies and programmes. The core area of work is on policy and decision making related to education, health and agriculture with a special focus on the inclusion of women. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says it has embarked on a nationwide product-quality monitoring exercise in selected facilities and markets to ascertain the compliance (thickness) of face masks. The exercise commenced from 28th June 2021 and ended on August 9. According to the FDA, the objective of the monitoring exercise by the Authority was to check the conformance of the face masks sold on the market with the FDA’s In-House Specification (LSD/MED/GL-02) for testing face masks. In a statement sighted by Thinknewsonline.com, it said "Out of a total of one hundred and eighty (180) face masks samples obtained from the exercise, one hundred and fifty-five (155) samples passed the standards specification test, constituting 86.1% of the total samples, and twenty-five (25) failed the test, constituting 13.9%, as per the Authority’s specifications" It further revealed that fourteen (14) brands had been registered and approved by the FDA at the time of the exercise while one hundred and sixty-two (162) brands were unregistered with the Authority. Products that did not conform to the Authority’s specifications at the end of the exercise were detained awaiting safe disposal. Importers of failed samples have been directed to initiate a recall of the failed samples and furnish the Authority with the necessary documentation. Importers of unregistered brands have been directed by the Authority to bring their activities into regulatory compliance. The general public is advised to report any suspicious FDA-regulated product. Importers and manufacturers are warned to desist from importing and producing products which are non-compliant with the approved standards. Below is a copy of the release: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Ailing veteran actress Mavis Yeboah, popularly known as Gyanwaa, who graced our screens from the Akan drama days, has disclosed that she has no property not even a half plot after 20 years of solid acting. According to her, though she was actively involved in the profession for over 20 years, she was not well-paid. “I have been working as an actress for over 20 years, I was part of the Adassa group during the Akan drama days…It has not been financially profitable…The pay during the Akan drama time was very bad. I used to get GHC50,000 old currency – GHC5 (new currency). “I have to be honest, I have not acquired any properties from this profession that I can show off. I don’t have any plot of land nor house. But on the other side, you get to enjoy some freebies because of your popularity. Sometimes I don’t pay when I go to the hospital.’ Though the profession didn’t pay well, through her side hustle, which is beadwork, she was able to raise money to buy a plot of land and erect a 4-bedroom house to the lentil level. Unfortunately, she had to sell the house and land at a cheap price when her only son was dying from cancer. “From my side hustle aside the acting profession, I was able to buy land and raise a 4-bedroom structure to the lentil level at Ablekuma Joma. However, I had to sell to raise money for my son who suffered from cancer, even with all that, I still lost my son. Right now, I am back to square zero in life. The person bought the land and structure for GHC12,000. I accepted it because my son was dying,” she said. Watch the interview below for more: Credit: GHBase.com

The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) which before 2017 was indebted to the tune of $624million, has made tremendous progression in the last four years in its debts repayment plan with the firm paying 73% via Internally Generated Funds (IGFs) and government of Ghana supplementing with 27%. Addressing media in Accra on Sunday, Managing Director Mr. Edwin Provencal reiterated the prudent measures that were put in place at BOST that enabled it offset its debt with 73% via IGFs and government of Ghana supporting its debt settlement with 27%. The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited(BOST) was incorporated in December 1993 as a private limited liability company under the Companies Act,1963 (Act 179) with the Government of Ghana as the sole shareholder. BOST has the mandate: To develop a network of storage tanks, pipelines and other bulk transportation infrastructure throughout the country. To rent or lease out part of the storage facilities to enable it generate income To keep Strategic Reserve Stocks for Ghana To own, manage and develop a national network of oil pipelines and storage depots To manage the “Zonalization” policy of the National Petroleum Authority(NPA) and To develop the Natural Gas Infrastructure throughout the country. In this regard, BOST is responsible for building strategic reserve stocks to meet a minimum of six (6) weeks of national consumption in the short and medium term and to increase stock level to twelve (12) weeks in the long term. To adequately fulfil its mandate, BOST has developed a network of storage and pipeline infrastructure throughout the country. The Company currently has six (6) Depots nationwide. These are located in the Accra Plains, Mami Water, Akosombo, Kumasi, Buipe and Bolgatanga. Pipelines link the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to the Accra Plains Depot which in turn is linked to the Mami Water Depot and ends at the Akosombo Depot. Another pipeline links the Buipe Depot to the Bolgatanga Depot. For petroleum products to reach the northern parts of the country, it is conveyed by pipeline from the Tema Oil Refinery through the Accra Plains Depot and Mami Water to Akosombo where it is loaded onto River Barges to Buipe. It is then conveyed to Bolgatanga by 261km- 8 inch pipeline. The Depot in Kumasi receives products by Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs) from the Accra Plains Depot. BOST has built four barges to convey petroleum products from Akosombo to Buipe for onward transmission to Bolgatanga. However the Bolgatanga Depot was recently recommissioned after several years of inactivity thus making it necessary for Buipe to feed Bolgatanga by pipeline. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye has hinted that the country is set to receive 18,742,610 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the coming days. According to Dr. Kuma-Aboagye, the consignment set to be received in Ghana include; AstraZeneca; 834,720, Pfizer; 1,330,290, and Johnson and Johnson; 16,577,600. Addressing Journalists in Accra on Sunday, he said "Aside the AstraZeneca and Pfizer, which are donations from developed countries and COVAX, the total consignment ofJohnson and Johnson was procured by government through the Africa United platform" The Director-General in his delivery mentioned that about 16,777,100 individuals are in line to be jabbed for 2021 ends. "I optimism that the Ghana Health Service will be able to jabbed at least 20 million citizens against the Covid-19 disease by the end of 2021. "Although the country’s vaccination drive experienced a setback due to a global shortage of vaccines, the Ghana Health Service remains hopeful it will achieve the 20 million target" “Ghana can do between 300 and 400 thousand vaccines in a week. And if we expand, we can even do a million. In 2020 within four days, we vaccinated 6 million people against Yellow Fever. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

A Kenyan police officer has woken up from a nine-month coma to find he had been sacked for desertion. Neither the family nor the police force had any idea where Constable Reuben Kimutai Lel was – his niece told the BBC they thought he was dead. But it turns out that he had been the victim of a road accident and had been in one of the country’s biggest hospitals all along. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/empire-star-bryshere-gray-sentenced-to-jail-in-domestic-violence-case He only regained consciousness last week. His niece Joan Jeptoo told the BBC of the family’s horror as they searched for his body in morgues after they had given up on his chances of being alive. At one point they almost collected a decomposing body from a morgue that was said to be him. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws “We thought he was dead because his phone was off. Early this year we went to collect a body that we were told resembled him, but the fingerprints didn’t match,” she said. The police officer was admitted on 21 December 2020 as an unknown person at the main referral hospital in the capital, Nairobi. He had no identity documents with him. Meanwhile, he was sacked from his job, charged in absentia with desertion and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The case was later withdrawn after police failed to find him. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath He regained consciousness last week, and although he has still not regained his full memory, he was able to identify himself by name and that he was a police officer – and so the search for his relatives began. His niece was contacted by police last Wednesday and was told to go and identify him at hospital. “I found him at Kenyatta National Hospital. He could not recognise me and he could not recognise names of members of his family,” she said. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video The police officer was discharged from hospital last Friday and is recuperating at his home in Koibatek, Baringo county, under the care of his wife and family. According to the Daily Nation news site, arrangements are being made to reinstate him to the police force. However, his niece said the constable, in his late 50s, was looking forward to his retirement. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu Source: BBC

Farouk Aliu Mahama, the son of Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has denied rumours that his mother, Hajia Ramatu Aliu Mahama, is dead. A Ghanaguardian report sighted by GhanaWeb announced the sudden demise of Hajia Ramatu Mahama, the wife of the late Vice President under John Agyekum Kufuor administration. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu According to a report, the wife of the late Vice President died in a London hospital on Sunday, September 26, 2021, after a short illness. Hajia Ramatu Mahama [Neè Egala], the report stated that, has been battling a heart-related sickness and was taken to the United Kingdom for treatment. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video The report further quoted an unknown family source, “Hajia Ramatu Mahama has for the past one month been battling a suspected heart condition but gave up the ghost on Sunday. “She was transferred from the Korle -Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana to the Cromwell Hospital after her unknown ailment worsened.” READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath Reacting to the news on his Facebook timeline, Farouk Aliu Mahama, who is also the MP for Yendi, wrote that, his mom is alive and matters of death and health are in the hands of Allah. “I have taken note of an unfortunate rumour making the rounds about my mom, the former Second Lady, H. E. Hajia Ramatu Aliu Mahma [Neè Egala]. My mom is alive. We should leave matters of death and health in the hands of the Almighty Allah,” his post read. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws Farouk Aliu Mahama further advised the public to “disregard the reports”. Below is a screenshot of his facebook post: Credit: KNUST News