The final of the 2022 Ashanti Regional Inter-Schools Boys Soccer Competition between T.I. Amass and OWASS will now be played on November10, 2022, at the recently renovated Baba Yara Stadium.
Due to renovation works that were ongoing at the Kumasi Stadium for Kotoko’s CAF Champions League campaign, this year’s competition was conducted at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium.
The two finalists—a rematch of the final that the “Phobians” won in 2018—were T.I. Ahmadiyyah SHS, Kumasi, and Opoku Ware SHS after a string of matches honored from the round of 32.
The final hasn’t been honored till now because of a legal dispute that erupted between Asanteman SHS and Obuasi Secondary Technical over an incorrect disqualification for the use of a qualified player by the latter, which later turned out to be false.
The good news is that the final hurdle has been cleared, allowing for the final to take place on November 10th,2022, at Baba Yara Stadium.
The Ghana Football Association has rubbished claims of receiving $800,000 from the country’s Finance Ministry for the two pre-World Cup international friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua, insisting the ‘frivolous’ reportage was calculated to damage the to “pitch the public” against the federation.
Ghanaian journalist Collins Atta Poku claimed on Tuesday that three majority members of Parliament have informed him about the money paid to the Football Association to cover for the expenditure incurred in the two high-profile friendly matches.
But fresh reports are emerging that the claim from the majority members appear to be a conjecture and not grounded on anything.
This is the latest claim against the Ghana FA aimed at courting public disaffection amid the current economic challenges confronting the powerful West African country.
Critics have gone to town – lambasting the Finance Ministry for releasing a non-existent money to the Ghana Football Association.
The football’s governing body has dismissed the claims as completely false and a figment of an imagination, rubbishing the now widespread reports.
“I have just come out of court to read that the Ministry of Finance gave the Ghana FA $800,000 to honour two friendly games against Brazil and Nicaragua. Fact check!! This is false.. Kindly ignore.” Fa boss Kurt Okraku said
The Ghana FA has released a further statement to deny the claims.
“The attention of our lawyers has been drawn to a Tweet from Collins Atta Poku on the release of $800,000 to the Ghana Football Association for our recent international friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua,” a Ghana FA statement read.
“The news is not only FALSE but a calculated lie to pitch the public against the Ghana Football Association, drag our name in the mud and defame the Association.
“We would like to state categorically, that Bank of Ghana has not transferred any amount in relation to our friendly matches against Brazil and Nicaragua to the account of the Ghana Football Association.
“We would like the public to disregard that frivolous reportage.”
Former Ghana FA Communication Director Ibrahim Sannie Daara rubbished the reports following leaks from insiders.
Ghana’s economic woes continue as the country seeks International Monetary Fund (IMF) support for the 17th time.
The latest situation has forced 80% percent of the majority group in Parliament to demand for the removal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta and Minister of State at the Presidency, Charles Adu Boahene.
The country’s government has budgeted $25 million for the Black Stars participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The four-time African champions will face Portugal and South Korea in Group H before a grudge match against Uruguay, who knocked Ghana out in the quarter-finals in 2010.
But, after missing out on a spot at Russia 2018, expectations of an emphatic return to the global stage have been overshadowed by pessimism about coach Otto Addo and his players.
The former international took charge after a humiliating group-stage exit from the Africa Cup of Nations in January led to the departure of former boss Milovan Rajevac.
Addo helped inspire the side to edge past fierce West African rivals Nigeria on away goals in March to qualify for their fourth World Cup, but since then the Black Stars have endured a faltering run.
Following the dismissal of the Application for injunction by AshantiGold SC against the Ghana Football Association, the Executive Council of the Association has decided that the betPawa Premier League should resume this weekend.
The Executive Council in their meeting after the court decision were of the view that the betPawa Premier League resumes immediately to avert further loss to stakeholders.
The GFA has further engaged the betPawa Premier League clubs for the resumption of the season.
The injunction against the Ghana Premier League has been dismissed, allowing for the country’s top flight league to resume after a four-week forced break.
The latest decision means the Ghana Premier League could resume this weekend.
In her ruling, Judge Barbara Tetteh Charway stated that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) will suffer more than AshantiGold.
The Miners have also been ordered to pay GHS 20,000 in damages by the court.
Ashanti Gold suffered demotion to the third tier of Ghana football after being found guilty of match manipulation in the 2020-21 Ghana Premier League campaign.
According to a ruling by the Ghana FA Disciplinary Committee, AshantiGold manipulated the results of their matchday 34 match against Inter Allies FC.
President of the club, Kwaku Frimpong and CEO Emmanuel Frimpong were handed long-term bans for their involvement in the said match manipulation, as well as some players.
The Obuasi-based side appealed the Disciplinary Committee’s decision to ban but the ruling was upheld by the Appeals Committee, forcing the Miners to take the case to the Human Rights High Court.
The latest decision means the Ghana Premier League could resume this weekend.
Hearts of Oak are ready to pay USM Algiers’ asking price for former Asante Kotoko striker Kwame Opoku.
According to Adehye FM in Kumasi, USM wants $120,000 after paying $300, 000 for him from Asante Kotoko.
However, Kotoko are not willing to meet the asking price of the Algerian club.
Hearts, on the other hand, are ready to splash the cash and sign Opoku who was Kotoko’s top scorer with 7 goals in the Ghanaian Premier League when he was leaving.
Adehye FM reports that the Phobians are already in negotiations with Opoku.
Former President of Ghana, His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor says he has absolute confidence in the Black Stars and believes the players will perform to bring honour to the nation.
The Black Stars will be taking part in a record 4th FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar in November/December after staging a magnificent display to outwit Nigeria in March for one of the five slots on the African continent.
The former Asante Kotoko Chairman who supervised Ghana’s first qualification to the World Cup in 2006 in Germany expects players of the Black Stars to eschew selfishness and show team chemistry on the pitch during the Mundial in Qatar.
President Kufuor was speaking during a visit by President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku and Executives of the Ghana Football Association at his residence in Accra.
‘’I don’t remember being given a strip like this even in 2006, even though I followed the team when we played our first game against Italy’’ he said.
‘’We performed so well and our only trouble was suffering from stage fright and we could have won against Italy that eventually became champions of the world. We did well by beating the Americans and the Czech Republic’’.
‘’I support the Black Stars and I give the team all the blessings. I can pray for the team to win and perform to the honour of our nation’’.
‘’I believe the boys can do it, they have exposure internationally and so stage fright should not be part of this tournament. What is left is for our side to play as a team’’. ‘’A lot of times we tend to be selfish with our play so how we get the team to think together on the pitch, how we pass towards goal and to have the strength.
‘’We must be physically strong because our boys tend to fall too easily as far as I can see’’.
‘’The cache with our team in 2006 was the strength. You look at the captain, Stephen Appiah, characters like Sulley Muntari, Asamoah Gyan and you can’t just push them down easily, they were physically fit’’.
‘’One thing I pray you would ensure they go to the pitch with, is this is a man’s game and opponents shouldn’t easily push us down but that doesn’t mean we should commit fouls all over the place but we shouldn’t be walkovers’’.
‘’We must be strong, smart and have stamina and towards goal, we must work as a team and I’m sure we will come out with flying colours. You have all my blessings, prayers and support and I hope we make it past the group stage and continue to quarter finals, semi-finals and hopefully the finals’’.
‘’The nation awaits good news from our team’’ President Kufuor added.
His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor served as the President of Ghana from 7 January 2001 to 7 January 2009 and was also Chairman of the African Union from 2007 to 2008.
Under his leadership the Black Stars qualified for their first World Cup in Germany where Ghana suffered a second-round exit following a 3-0 loss to Brazil.
Mohammed Alhassan, a former national organizer of the supporter’s wing of Accra Hearts of Oak, the National Chapters Committee has detailed that Nigerian billionaire, Aliko Dangote once made efforts to pump money into the club.
He narrated in an Angel FM interview that Dangote who was a good friend to late president Professor John Evans Atta Mills who served as board chairman for Accra Hearts of Oak decided to honor the memory of his late by sponsoring the football club he so much loved.
Mohammed Alhassan says, Dangote got in touch with the Former Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tema, Kempes Ofosu Ware who is a lifelong Hearts of Oak fan.
The deal was set in motion and everything looked positive until someone close to Togbe Afede allegedly decided to cripple it.
He recounts that Togbe Afede who was not in the country then instructed that copies of the agreement are sent to his desk for final deliberations during the board meeting but the person in question decided against it.
Mohammed Alhassan who was a member of the board meeting said the reason given by the said person was that Kempes Ofosu Ware was involved in some financial mismanagement allegations during his time as MCE for Tema.
“Dangote wanted to support Hearts of Oak with a big sponsorship but he pulled out because of someone’s personal interest. Dangote wanted to sponsor Hearts of Oak to honor Professor Mills because of their relationship. Kempes Ofosu Ware was the DCE at Tema. Kempes finished everything only for someone said over his dead body. That person was Akambi.
“I was part of the delegation that went to Nigeria. Myself, Kenpes and three others. Togbe Afede had traveled and instructed that the letter be sent to the desk. At the board meeting, the issue was never raised. Kempes gave us Ishmael Addo, Dong Bortey, Bossman, and others,” he said.
Mohammed Alhassan was reacting to Togbe Afede’s press statement about happenings within the club where he expressed confidence in Alhaji Akambi and Vincent Sowah Odotei.
According to him, it is important that Togbe Afede heads to the call of the supporters as he believes the two men do not always act in the interest of the club.
