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GhIPSS to businesses: Invest in e-payments ahead of festive season

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The Chief Executive of Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), Archie Hesse, has urged business owners to make electronic payment services available at their shops and offices to offer customers the opportunity to make payments electronically, as the yuletide approaches.

Speaking in an interview, Archie Hesse encouraged businesses to speak to their banks and FinTech companies to enable them to deploy various electronic payment services at their shops, restaurants and other outlets.

Archie Hesse mentioned Gh QR code, Point of Sales (PoS) devices, Mobile Money as some basic electronic payment channels that could be easily deployed.

He further revealed that GhIPSS Instant Pay, ACH Direct Credit, Direct Credit Near Real Time as other electronic payment channels that businesses could use for various fund transfers.

GhIPSS has been working with banks and FinTechs over the years to roll out several electronic payment solutions which should give both businesses and their customers a wide range of payment options.

Currently new PoS devices that are cheaper and can perform other third party transactions have been introduced, while Mobile Money Interoperability has made transfer of funds across different payment platforms, possible.

The Gh Dual card, which enables banks to issue a card which serves as both gh-link and e-zwich card at the same time, was also introduced by GhIPSS . It gives customers the convenience of carrying one card with dual functionalities.

Mr Hesse explained that the several electronic payment services available, gives business owners no excuse to deny their customers the opportunity to pay electronically.

According to him, the use of these various electronic payment services also inures to the benefit of business owners.

Major shopping outlets and fuel stations now offer electronic payment with GOIL and Shell accepting gh-link cards on their PoSs. Key utility service providers such as Ghana Water Company and Electricity Company of Ghana also offer electronic payment options to their customers.

Mr Hesse commended businesses and organisations that offer electronic payment and challenged those which do not, to talk to their banks and deploy them to enjoy the benefits during the festive season.

 

Asamoah Gyan: I’m happy to join Legon Cities

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Striker Asamoah Gyan has revealed that he is very happy for signing with Ghanaian local side Legon Cities.

Asamoah Gyan, who is a top Ghanaian striker, in a tweet said he feels happy for returning home to play a local side in the Ghanaian local league.

On Friday, Asamoah Gyan sealed his domestic transfer deal by signing with Legon Cities worth more than US$1million.

The juicy deal was signed after Asamoah Gyan met with the club’s president Richard Attipoe.

The manager of the striker Anim Addo, said on Saturday night, that “The deal was sealed yesterday as I excused Gyan and his elder brother Baffour to conclude the deal with the club officials. I can confirm it is more than one million dollars.”

Taking to his Twitter account on Sunday, the player wrote: “Here we go. I’m back home to continue my career with @legoncitiesfc. I’m happy to join this club because they have a future plan for Ghana football. Don’t blink when the season starts. Follow my new club for every details of the club. Thanks for your support.”

The deal is for four years and a record in Ghana’s local league scene.

Gyan has scored 51 goals for the Black Stars since his debut in 2003.

 

GFA to launch 2020/2021 football season on 5th November

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The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced that the launch of the 2020/2021 football season will take place today, Thursday, November 05, 2020, at the studio of Max TV, a free to air channel, at 6 pm.

The launch of the 2020/2021 football season is part of a series of events put together to usher in the new season.

The Ghana Premier League(GPL) will kick start on the weekend of November 14-15, 2020.

The second-tier competition, Division One League kicks off on December 3, 2020, while the Women’s Premier League is set to kick off on January 2, 2021.

The launch will be broadcasted live on Adepa TV, channel 247 and Max TV, courtesy of broadcast partner StarTimes Ghana.

Ghana Beach Soccer national team coach completes tour with Tema United officials

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Ghana Black Sharks national coach Daniel Kotey has wrapped up his tour of Beach Soccer clubs with a full day visit to the training grounds of newly formed Tema United BSC.

Kotey who is a former Great Olympics assistant coach, led the Sharks to consecutive Afcon  tournaments in Seychelles (2015) and Nigeria (2017) and has been on tour since the easing of Covid-19 restrictions on sporting activities especially contact sports.

Coach Kotey has already visited Beach Soccer teams in the Western and Central regions. Last weekend he was in the Volta region which included a full day session at the home of reigning Beach Soccer champions Sunset Sport of Keta.

The tour of regions is partly sponsored by organisers of the Unity Cup,  One Ghana, which has seen the coach on the move over the past few weeks as part of his efforts to update the status of clubs, players and coaches.

“As you know, we are going through a transition so a lot of changes have taken place. Apart from that, most of my players are not up to the required fitness level due to their inactivity all these months”.

Coach Kotey hopes serious competition will soon commence to enable him assess players he would be monitoring for national team selection.

Although the date of resumption has not yet been confirmed, coach Kotey hinted at a larger pool of players for selection ahead of  impending Afcon 2021 Beach Soccer qualifiers.

Currently, 26 clubs are in the process of transition and transferring data onto the GFA digital platform.

The final weekend of October is expected to witness an intense player   recruitment exercise before deadline day.

 

Source: Follow all the latest Beach Soccer news on:  www.ghanabeachsoccer.com

 

Togbe Afede XIV: It’s worrying for chiefs to endorse presidential candidates

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The President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV, has said it is worrying for Chiefs to endorse presidential candidates who visit their towns on a campaign tour.

According to Togbe Afede XIV, he always reminds the Chiefs of the constitutional injunction to not participate in partisan politics.

Speaking to an Accra-based TV station on Monday, Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Traditional Asogli State, said “As chiefs, we are just like any other citizen affected by what goes on and so we have the right to comment on issues…so we can do that without necessarily taking a partisan position. Even though when you comment on issues it seems to favour a particular party’s stand which makes it seem like you are supporting the other.”

Togbe Afede XIV said that in his capacity as a Chief and current President of the National House of Chiefs, he has not been happy about the development.

He further warned that the various political parties should advocate for the neutrality of traditional rulers and not rejoice when a Chief endorses them but complain when another Chief endorses other political parties.

Togbe Afede XIV further indicated that the attitude of some of his colleague Chiefs undermines the chieftaincy institution.

He explained that when Chiefs speak they are seen to be focusing on the truth, but once there is a partisan approach to it, “anything you say can be looked at through political lenses” and it defeats the relevance of the speech.

“Going forward, the National House of Chiefs must be very proactive in promoting this part of the Constitution. If need be, we can publicly sanction Chiefs who go foul of the [Constitutional] provision because you are effectively bringing the whole chieftaincy institution into disrepute,” Togbe Afede XIV said.

Some Chiefs have openly declared support for presidential candidates of some political parties ahead of the December 7 elections.

The culprits include Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, the Paramount Chief of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area who endorsed President Akufo-Addo; and Nana Owusu Kontoh II, Omanhene of Mehame Traditional Area who also endorsed John Mahama.

The Omanhene of Dormaa Traditional Area in the Bono Region, also very recently endorsed the return of John Mahama as President of the Republic of Ghana.

Oppong Nkrumah: Vote number 1 if you’ve benefitted from Nana Addo’s policies

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Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister for Information and MP for Ofoase/Ayirebi, has called on all Ghanaians who have benefited from any of the Programs of the Akufo-Addo administration to turn out massively at the December 7 polls and Vote for Number 1 on the Presidential and Parliamentary ballot.

Welcoming Vice President Bawumia to a durbar of chiefs and people of Ayirebi, Mr Oppong Nkrumah recounted how several governments in Ghana’s history’s have struggled to manage the Ghanaian economy, let alone afford programs that impact the lives of Ghanaians.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah said the Akufo-Addo administration has managed the Ghanaian Economy so well that it has been able to afford several programs that directly impact the lives of the good people of Ghana.

“When you have an administration that as a result of its strong economic management can afford Free SHS, Planting for Food and Jobs, uninterrupted electricity supply, improved NHIS, extensive digitization of public services, free water and electricity during Covid-19 and an effective Covid-19 response program, it is important for all who have benefited from its programs to work to retain it in power.”

“The challenge ahead of us is not a challenge for NPP supporters only. All of us who have benefited directly or indirectly from any of these initiatives have an obligation to now sit up and canvass for votes for Nana Akufo-Addo and his MPs to be retained to do more for us. We will not have another opportunity to bring Ghana to this level of growth.

“The time to seal this is now. So I call on everyone to get involved and work hard to lock his election down one-touch for Ghana to move forward” he said.

“Now is not the time for petty internal party squabbles nor for pains about how a specific personal wish wash not granted. Now is the time to put aside all personal interests and to work to ensure that the collective interest of the Ghanaian are protected. With 4 more for Nana we can be sure that the progress made can be protected and more gains made for more Ghanaians” he added.

John Mahama: NDC will give Ghanaians renewed hope after December Polls

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Mr John Dramani Mahama, the flag-bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said that the next NDC government will give Ghanaians renewed hope saying that NDC will make Ghana work for everybody and not just the family and friends of members of the ruling NPP government.

Mr. Mahama, in an interview recently, re-echoed the point he made during the launch of the NDC’s People’s Manifesto in Accra, saying, “We need to give Ghanaians good reasons to have hope again; we need to make them feel they are listened to and taken care of, and we need to make Ghana work for everybody and not just a few. This is why we call our manifesto, the People’s Manifesto. We pledge to create one million new decent jobs over the next four years. We will do it and I guarantee you that.”

The assurances by Mr. Mahama come on the back of the widespread nepotism allegations by the main opposition NDC seen under President Akufo-Addo’s administration. There are concerns that a few people, described as the “Akyem Mafia”, have captured the state and arrogated all powers and resources to themselves and their cronies leaving the majority of Ghanaians to their own fate.

According to John Mahama, he and the NDC have seen the helplessness of Ghanaians and are prepared to come to their aid.

“We began by listening to you directly before putting together the NDC’s People’s Manifesto, and I, as flag-bearer, make the solemn promise that Ghanaians can hope again when the NDC returns to power next year”.

The Ex-President added that, by pledging to create one million decent new jobs, the NDC has set out to reduce the high unemployment in the country, which is a direct result of the bad policies of the current NPP government.

“Our intention is to boost local economies, which will, in turn, create indirect jobs for the people,” he said.

The banking sector clean-up has rendered many Ghanaians jobless. Their dependants are facing penury having lost every hope to turn their economic situations around. Many businesses that depended on the micro-finance sector have largely collapsed.

Many employees in the construction sector, who spoke to this reporter, said they were suffocating under the current NPP government as the government had abandoned many projects initiated by the previous Mahama administration while failing to pay over GH¢2 billion owed road contractors especially those who worked on the cocoa roads.

“The situation has led to so much devastation to personal economies that the average Ghanaian has given up in despair,” one construction worker said.

Ayorkor Botchwey: Foreign investors have absolute confidence in Ghana’s economy

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Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has noted that foreign investors now have absolute confidence in Ghana’s economy due to the good policies introduced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey revealed that the investors are willing to invest in the economy to create more jobs for the people of this country owing to the confidence they have in the local economy.

All around the world, Ayorkor Botchwey added, investors are willing to partner local businesses to establish their branches in the oil-producing West African country.

Ms Ayorkor Botchwey, speaking during a sod-cutting ceremony for the Tema Sewer Network, Solid and Waste Water Treatment Plant Facility on Sunday, further stated that Ghana’s economy was the fastest growing economy in the world until coronavirus pandemic.

However, she expressed optimism that the country will regain that status soon.

“But for coronavirus Ghana will be the fastest economy of the world. We will regain that glory,” she stressed.

She asked Ghanaians to vote for President Akufo-Addo to win the elections on December 7.

 

I reduced my age by 5 years during U17 World Cup – Awule Quaye Jnr

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Former Ghana U17 and U20 star Awule Quaye Jnr has disclosed that he reduced his age by five years during the U17 World Cup in 1997.

Awule Quaye who is now a Reverend Minister was speaking on Sports Biz on Max 89.7 FM with Host Evans Amewugah, on October 24, 2020.

He said age cheating has several disadvantages and urged players to desist from the act.

“Five years of my age was taken off, I was around 21 when I was playing the U17 World Cup in 1997 even though I entered the tournament with age 16. Sometimes we don’t say these things because it could have an effect on our careers. Age cheating isn’t good but conditions push players to do so. I was in Belgium at age 17 and the whites treated me like an 11-year-old”

Awule Quaye Jnr was a significant figure of the Black Satellites (U 20) 1999 African Gold winning team. He played alongside Laryea Kingston, Baffour Gyan, Owusu Afriyie etc.

Before that, he was also an essential member of the Black Starlets ( U17) Silver team that played in Egypt 1997.

He also joined the likes of Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and Sam Johnson for the 2004 Tunisia 4nations tournament with the Black Stars.

By: Mutala Yakubu

 

 

Local coaches need more education to match foreign coaches – Awule Quaye Jnr

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Former Ghana U20 star Awule Quaye Jnr says local coaches need more education to match up with foreign coaches.

Awule Quaye who is now a Reverend Minister was speaking on Sports Biz on Max 89.7 FM on October 24, 2020.

The host of the show Evans Amewugah asked the former midfielder whether he enjoyed playing under local coaches or foreign coaches and he gave a detailed reply.

“I have played under several coaches in Ghana, Jones Attuqufio, Oti Akenteng and the likes, they all had something but I think the game grew higher and we needed foreign hands to handle. Even though local coaches know the terrain well there is a difference between local and foreign coaches. The foreign coaches are a bit ahead in terms of how to read the game, communicate with players and even how to manage a player.

For me, if they can send our local coaches to Europe to learn more they can excel better than the foreign coaches.”

Awule Quaye Jnr was a significant figure of the Black Satellites (U 20) 1999 African Gold winning team. He played alongside Laryea Kingston, Baffour Gyan, Owusu Afriyie etc.

Before that, he was also an essential member of the Black Starlets ( U17) Silver team that played in Egypt 1997.

He also joined the likes of Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and Sam Johnson for the 2004 Tunisia 4nations tournament with the Black Stars.

 

By: Mutala Yakubu