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Hearts, Kotoko clash over bragging rights
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Kumasi Asante Kotoko will be hoping to exact revenge on arch-rivals Accra Hearts of Oak when the two sides renew their edgy confrontations tomorrow at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana football’s ‘Super Clash’, as they honour an outstanding matchday seven fixture of the Ghana Premier League (GPL).
Last season’s title-defining clash on matchday 31 ended with a sublime Daniel Afriyie Barnieh lone-goal eventually handing the league trophy to the Phobians, ending their 12-year chase for the most coveted prize on the domestic football scene.
At the opposite side, it turned out to be an ego-crushing loss for the ‘Porcupine Warriors’ who never got their acts together as their season crumbled afterwards settling for second position on the league log.
This feat etched Hearts coach, Samuel Boadi as a cult figure and a gaffer marked for great exploits at the club as he added the Football Association (FA) Cup to Hearts’ collection last season.
Fast forward to the end of a new season and the tables have turned drastically; Kotoko are flourishing under new trainer, Dr Prosper Nartey Ogum. They lead the chasing pack at the end of the first round with 36 points, six points adrift closest contenders Bechem United who have amassed 30 points.
Meanwhile, Hearts are languishing at eighth position on the log with 24 points and their chances of defending their status quo as champions slipping away as the weeks roll-on.
Coach Boadu now feels the tide turning against him, the love dissipating, especially when his side cracked against Regional foes, Great Olympics recently, in their derby clash, submiting to a 1-0 loss to the ‘Wonder Club’ thus suffering their first home loss of the season and a winless run against Olympics in three outings.
Against this backdrop, coach Boadu is cognisant that a win, no matter its shape or form in this epic clash, will buy him some goodwill and maybe the required trigger needed to transform his side’s season fortunes.
But to achieve this, he needs his best guys to show up. Cringing at the absence of nimble-footed winger Ibrahim Sulley, he has captain Fatawu Mohammed, forward Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, creative force Awako Gladson, striker Kofi Kordzi, Salim Adams, Kojo Obeng Jnr, Isaac Mensah and Black Stars goalie, Richard Attah to count on to deliver a five-star performance whilst veteran Sulley Muntari is expected to provide the necessary inspiration needed for such a high-stake encounter.
Just like Boadu, much would be in play for Kotoko gaffer, Dr Ogum, who would be eager to deepen his affection among the Kotoko faithful –
wary that a win against Hearts would be a masterstroke in attaining that.
It would also be to prove that his side’s 3-2 defeat to King Faisal in the regional derby earlier in the season at the Baba Yara was just a mild setback and that he was up to the task of delivering the needed results against the ‘big boys.’
Despite the absence of injured influencial players, playmaker Brazilian Fabio Gama, young prodigy Isaac Oppong and Ieft-back Ibrahim Imoro out due to suspension, the talent at Dr Ogum’s disposal is still shockingly hard to pick from.
From the league top scorer Franck Etouga and his Cameroonian campatriot George’s Mfegue who boast a combined 15 goals, to midfielders Richard Lamptey, Sheriff Mohammed, Mudasiru Salifu, Justice Blay, Richard Boadu, to the defensive unit of captain Ismail Ganiu and Yusif Mubarik, Coach Ogum has the ensemble of a star-studded cast that can deliver a top performance to make their revenge mission a reality.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
