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African Games: We’ll rely on our strength against Senegal- U-20 Head coach
The Black Satellites have shifted focus to the crunch semi-final match against Senegal which will be played at the Accra Sports Stadium tomorrow, Tuesday March 19, 2024 at 8pm.
Ghana made it to the semis after finishing on top of Group A and will face the runners up from Group B for a place in the grand final of the 13th African Games Men’s Football Competition.
Though Coach Desmond Sakyi Ofei admits Senegal will be tough opponents, the Ghana U20 Head Coach insists that his side will rely on their strengths and will be up to the task on Tuesday evening.
The Ghana trainer made these remarks when he attended the pre-match press conference with player Aaron Essel ahead of the game against Senegal.
He said, “We have learnt, we are coming from a very long way and we are building something special for this national team. We are diligent and we know what we are doing.”
According to Desmond Sakyi Ofei, “We are looking ahead to the future with open arms, we are ready for whoever comes. It’s going to be a very difficult game against a very good side.”
“For us once again, it’s against a very tough opponent. Senegal is a good team and they did well last year in the U17 and U20 tournaments. They went to the World Cup and got one loss and two draws,” he added.
The coach said they are rebuilding, adding that his players have rested well and are prepared for the semis.
He believes there is no luck in the semis. For him, to reach the semi-finals means you did something right.
“We have to stay true to ourselves and what we did in the past to replicate and multiply it. We have to be tactically aware and be sharp on the duels. We need to be well organised and control the ball well. That’s what we stand for, and I think we are improving game by game. We need to be focused on the game at hand against Senegal,” he said.
He noted that “We started camping in October and we touched on every aspect of the game, physically and mentally. We will try and finish the game in the regular playing time. If it goes into penalties, I am sure the boys will be prepared. Luckily, we have Nii Odartey Lamptey who is preparing the boys when it comes to penalties.”
“If you see our games, with the ball we play with a three-back and when we are defending we play with four-back. Defensively, we will be very solid and sharp because they have really good players. That’s what makes football very special because you get to play the best and it’s going to be a good game and we are going to enjoy,” he revealed.
He said that one thing about Ghanaian fans is that they are very honest, adding that they need that honesty and will not disappoint them because they are playing for the love of the nation.
One of the players, Aaron Essel also said, “I have been in almost all male national teams and I think it’s because of my confidence and the hardwork I put in when given the opportunity. Even if I get a Black Stars I believe I will have the confidence to play.”
“We respect every opponent and I have lots of trust in my teammates that irrespective of the opponent, we will emerge victorious,” he added.
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) successfully held its sixth (6th) Exchange Programme, hosted by the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) Bank in Accra from March 22 to 23 March.
The event brought together member institutions, partner organisations and Ghanaian public entities to advance dialogue on South-South trade, investment and development finance, while also creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and institutional cooperation.
Organised as a capacity-building and networking platform, the 2026 edition of the G-NEXID Exchange focused on GEXIM’s experience in developing innovative solutions to promote intra-African and extra-African trade.
It also highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader national development initiatives.
The Exchange Programme forms part of G-NEXID’s mandate to foster cooperation among export-import banks and development finance institutions in support of South-South trade and investment.
This 6th edition follows earlier successful programmes hosted by India Exim Bank (2016), BNDES (2017), Indonesia Eximbank (2018), Afreximbank (2019) and Saudi EXIM Bank (2025).
On the first day, participants were presented with G-NEXID institutional information and received an update on the Network’s 2026 work programme.
There were a series of substantive presentations, including an overview of the Ghanaian economy by the Ministry of Finance, with particular attention to debt-related challenges; a presentation by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on investment opportunities in the country; and institutional presentations by GEXIM and Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on their respective mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Discussions during the sessions underscored strong interest in sector-focused webinars and business dialogues, particularly in agribusiness value chains such as poultry and rice.
Participants also emphasized the importance of continued information exchange and the sharing of best practices, especially in the area of guarantees.
The second day opened with a presentation on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a national economic transformation strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025.
The initiative aims to enhance economic productivity through continuous industrial activity, accelerated export development and strategic import substitution.
As the programme is expected to mobilise both private and development capital, it presents concrete opportunities for G-NEXID members in areas such as co-financing, guarantees, trade finance and technical cooperation.
The programme also featured institutional presentations by guest organisations, namely the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund (FAGACE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which shared their mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Following these exchanges, the G-NEXID Secretariat held bilateral discussions with both institutions as part of the Network’s ongoing membership drive.
Participants further benefited from a presentation by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), as well as a showcase of GEXIM’s key pipeline projects.
On the margins of the Exchange Programme, G-NEXID members also held their 20th Annual General Assembly Meeting to review progress and discuss strategic priorities.
Following the event, participants joined the GEXIM@10 International Conference, held from March 24-25, 2026 under the theme, “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The conference provided an important platform for exploring how Ghana can strengthen its transition from a primary commodity exporter to a more competitive player in value-added trade and industrial development.
Source – G-NEXID
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, signed five bills including three amendment bills passed by Parliament into law.
They are: Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025; University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Bill, 2025; Ghana Deposit Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Education Regulatory Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
In a brief remark after assenting to the bills, President Mahama explained that the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2026, scraps the Office of Minister of National Security and frees the President’s to appoint any Minister to supervise the security agencies.
He said it also reverses the name of the office of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to the original name, Bureau of National Intelligence, (BNI).
This the President said, addresses the confusion between that security agency and a well-known Ghanaian financial institution, the National Investment Bank.
President Mahama also noted that the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Act, 2026, establishes another University in the Eastern Region, at Bonsu, with three campuses – the main campus at Bonsu in the Eastern Region, with the second campus to be cited at Ohawu in the Oti Region.
The third, the Presdient assed will be located at Acherensua in the Ahafo Region.
Touching on the Amendment to the Growth and Sustainability Levy Act, the President said, “As you’re aware, the act was amended to increase it from 1% to 3%, and so this act reduces it again. That is the levy on mining companies. It reduces it again to 1%, because of the introduction of the sliding scale of royalties.”
He also spoke to the passage of the Government Education Regulatory Bodies Amendment Act, emphasising that amends Act 1023 to grant greater flexibility to private tertiary institutions and the option to Charter.
The Ghana Deposit Protection Amendment Act, the President concluded, is an amendment to an original act that was supposed to guarantee deposits held in commercial banks or financial institutions.
It basically expands protection to include mobile money wallets and other digital platforms, ensuring a wider scope of digital financial assets are secured.
The signing ceremony, was witnessed by the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akrutinga Ayine, Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, a Senior Presidential Advisor and a Special Aide to the President, Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, and the Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
