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We are  going to reset Accra- New AMA Boss

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The Mayor of Accra,  Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has pledged to reset the capital city’s development agenda in alignment with President John Dramani Mahama’s national vision to “Reset Ghana,” promising a new era of inclusive, accountable, and transformative leadership.

Speaking at his confirmation ceremony on Tuesday, after securing 100 per cent of the votes cast by the Assembly Members of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr.Allotey declared: “We are going to reset Accra—from now. It begins now.”

He re-echoed President Mahama’s broader agenda to “Reset Ghana” and affirmed that Accra would not be left behind in this national renewal effort.

“Today, I hold the baton as Mayor of Accra. My predecessor has done her part but now it’s my turn. There is no window for failure. I will seek guidance from those who came before me and work with every stakeholder to drive meaningful change,” he said.

He thanked Almighty God for the opportunity and expressed deep gratitude to President Mahama for appointing him to lead Ghana’s capital at such a critical time, describing himself as “a young man from North Kaneshie.”

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Addressing the gathering in Ga, Mr. Allotey pledged to uphold and honour the cultural heritage of the Ga people, stating that it was fitting to recognise the custodians of the land, while reaffirming his commitment to work closely with traditional authorities to ensure development respects the cultural and historical heritage of the city.

Greater Accra Regional Minister,  Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, who supervised the voting process, in a statement prior to the voting, called on Assembly Members to uphold their constitutional mandate by confirming the President’s nominee for the position of Metropolitan Chief Executive.

She underscored AMA’s strategic importance, describing it as “the centre of Greater Accra,” and urged the members not to let politics hinder progress.

The Council of State representative for Greater Accra and Chairman of the Economic and Social Development Committee, Nene Drolor Bosso Adamtey I who was present called for bold and visionary leadership, urging Mr. Allotey to tackle the city’s pressing challenges such as sanitation, urban congestion, housing, youth unemployment, and social equity with innovation and integrity.

Mr. Allotey is a seasoned entrepreneur, logistics expert, and development-minded politician with over a decade of experience in the real estate, petroleum, and transportation sectors.

Before his appointment, Mr Allotey, an advocate for public-private partnerships, served as CEO of Our God Is Good Real Estate.

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He also served in other leadership positions, including General Manager at KYG Consultancy and Lubricants, EXOLUBE Company Ltd, and Transport Manager at DIMD Ghana, where he introduced logistics reforms that enhanced operational efficiency and reduced costs.

Mr. Allotey also served as Director of Operations for the Okaikwei South Constituency and held several leadership roles within the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The confirmation ceremony, which took place amidst drumming and jubilation, was attended by Assembly Members, government off

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Infrastructure challenge bad publicity for Premier League

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Benjamin Asare - Hearts of Oak
Benjamin Asare - Hearts of Oak

In other jurisdictions, the commencement of a new football season was one soccer fans would party about.

Having endured about a three-month period without action, fans become anxious about what the new season brings and how their respective teams would perform.

But that is not the case in Ghana, especially where the current Ghana Premier League (GPL) football season is expected to get underway today.

Unlike other places where fans would be fantasising and visualising about the new players and what they bring on board, Ghanaian fans have been occupied with discussions about the present state of infrastructure.

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Obviously, the game thrives when stadia appear in good condition. When the pitches are in perfect shapes, it enhances play and brings out the best from the players.

Sadly, the state of the pitches in the country have left many questioning the preparedness for the season that also coincides with the start of AFCON qualifiers.

Currently, the pitch at the Accra Sports Stadium is closed for Premier League matches in readiness for the qualifiers.

Alternative ones like the University of Ghana Stadium is also not in the best of shape.

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The Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi is also a concern despite hosting the Democracy Cup. As a result, teams to be affected in the southern and northern sectors would turn their attention to the Abramkese and UG stadia, a situation that would take a toll on the surfaces.

The situation, therefore, raises questions over the country’s direction regarding the provision of sports infrastructure.

Apart from the Borteyman Sports Complex, which was constructed for the Africa Games, none of the facilities scattered across the country can be said to be in good shape to host local games; not to talk about high profile competitions.

This should be a wakeup call on the government to start initiating processes to ensure modern infrastructure were erected to put Ghana in a good position to host games without the unwarranted scrutiny of CAF.

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This would come at a huge cost to the taxpayer but when the business aspect of that expenditure in considered, it should be a worthy outlay.

But the infrastructure challenges notwithstanding, the competition will kick start at Tema where Vision FC engages Young Apostles FC.

The Hearts of Oak versus Berekum Chelsea clash will lead tomorrow’s games pack that also sees debutants Debibi United and Port City FC engaged in battles against Asante Kotoko and FC Ashantigold, respectively.

In other games, Basake Holy Stars will welcome Swedru All Blacks; FC Samartex against Karela United; Heart of Lions versus Aduana FC and Bechem United against Goldstars.

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Dreams FC will face Medeama SC at the Tuba astro turf on Monday.

By Andrew Nortey

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VODEC, NELEF launch 2026 Idea Challenge Pitch 

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Mr Amonoo speaking at the event
Mr Amonoo speaking at the event

The 2026 Idea Challenge Pitch and media launch was held last Saturday at the Pentecost University in Accra.

It brought together innovators, entrepreneurs and stakeholders to promote creative ideas and solutions aimed at addressing societal challenges.

The initiative, organised by the Visionary Organisation Development and Entrepreneurial Club (VODEC) and National Emerging Leaders Economic Forum (NELEF) provided a platform for participants to showcase their ideas and highlight how innovation and creativity could be transformed into practical solutions.

The programme also sought to encourage young people to develop ideas that could contribute to national development and create opportunities for entrepreneurship.

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Held on the theme: ‘building Africa’s future, emerging leaders driving inclusive growth and regional transformation,’ the event sought to serve as a strategic platform to transition youth talent from mere concepts into investable enterprises.

During the pitch session, shortlisted entrepreneurs presented viable business ideas which spanned critical sectors, including climate-smart agribusiness, sustainable waste management, digital technology, and assistive tech for persons with disabilities.

A member of the judging panel, Mr Blessed Amonoo, an Investment Analyst at the Ghana Amalgamated Trust Plc., praised the technical depth of the presentations.

“We are looking for scalability, market readiness, and projects that directly answer local problems, Mr Amonoo noted during the evaluation.

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The level of innovation displayed here proves that African youth possesses the answers to the continent’s economic riddles, provided they receive the right structural refinement.”

Finalists selected from this rigorous process will be officially announced and paired with corporate mentors at the flagship forum in September.

Speaking at the event, the Founder and Chief Executive of VODEC Africa, Mr. Daniel Asomani, urged African governments and financial institutions to systematically secure capital for youth-led startups.

Mr Asomani emphasised that Africa’s persistent brain drain can only be reversed if young minds find fertile ground to scale their enterprises locally.

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“Our brilliant minds are leaving the shores of Africa not because they want to, but because the local ecosystem suffocates their dreams.”

“The Idea Challenge is our contribution to keeping this talent home but VODEC cannot do it alone. We need policy interventions, tax incentives for startups, and deliberate venture funding to turn these ideas into multi-million-dollarcorporations,” Mr Asomani stated.

By Desmond Aidoo

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