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Black Stars visit ‘Heal Komfo Anokye’ Project in Kumasi
President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku led a powerful delegation of officials, Black Stars players and Technical team members to the ‘Heal Komfo Anokye’ project, spearheaded by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on Tuesday June 11, 2024.
The President led the team from the GFA, including the Black Stars players, technical team and management members to show support and affection to patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), as they encouraged and wished them speedy recovery.
The visit also afforded the GFA President and his entourage the opportunity to witness and be briefed, at first hand, the mounting challenges facing the health facility.
The visit by the team follows Ghana’s thrilling 4-3 win over Central African Republic (CAR) in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Monday June 10, 2024 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, to go top of Group I of the qualifiers.
Top officials of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital led the players and officials on a tour of the facility while interacting with patients in a heartwarming gesture.
The GFA President pledged the commitment of the Football Association to support the renovation of the biggest hospital in the Ashanti Region using the GFA Foundation as a vehicle to offer critically needed help.
He said, “I think all the players and technical staff, who are all here, have heard the message. On behalf of the entire team, I want to assure you of our commitment towards honouring the call by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. Everybody here is naturally an ambassador. We have our images as a potential avenue for use in supporting such a worthy course. We’ll never know who will be a beneficiary of this facility in future. It can be our good selves, families and friends amongst others. We have a lot of footballers who have used these facilities and continue to use them.”
“We appreciate the call from Otumfuo, our father. He’s always been there for us whenever we have needed him. He has been our spiritual head. He has attended a lot of our games and he’s an icon we all look up to,” he said.
“Through the GFA Foundation, we will play our part, and the message will pierce through the hearts of many. This is a firm commitment that we’ll offer to this clarion call by Otumfuo. Actions, they say, speak louder than words, and football will speak with a much louder voice. Our presence here confirms our commitment. We’ll confirm and affirm our support to the project, in due course.” he concluded.
The ‘Heal Komfo Anokye’ project is an initiative of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to raise funds to renovate the deteriorating Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
The Asante King is seeking to raise $10 million for the refurbishment of the main ‘G’ block of the facility, which serves as the main referral centre for 12 out of the 16 regions of Ghana.
Despite its reputation for providing quality and affordable healthcare services and conducting groundbreaking research, KATH faces serious infrastructural challenges that affect service delivery.
President Simeon-Okraku led a delegation that included Vice-President Mark Addo as well as Executive Council members Frederick Acheampong, Dr. Ransford Anertey Abbey, Black Stars Coach Otto Addo and Captain Thomas Partey, the technical team and the players of the Black Stars.
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
