Sports
CAF saved us from shame!
Many Ghanaians cart-wheeled for joy the other day when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) settled on the Baba Yara Sports Stadium for the panicky Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier between the Black Stars and the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
CAF had rejected the Cape Coast Sports Stadium for its poor nature, the edifice having been used for the nation’s 65th Independence Day Anniversary – leaving the pitch woefully diminished in quality, in the process.
Having earlier confirmed the Cape Coast stadium as venue for the game – which was turned down, CAF had threatened to take the game to our sub-regional neighbours Benin or far north in Morocco. And, Ghanaian football fans dreaded the thought of having to travel hundreds of miles away for the game.
It had to take some exceptional diplomatic gymnastics for CAF to accept the Kumasi venue, and save the nation from shame – albeit with a myriad of conditions to meet.
Interestingly, we are told the Baba Yara stadium, which was renovated less than a year ago, was not even in fine fettle – and it had to take the magnanimity and high-mindedness of CAF, to ‘temporarily’ accept the venue. What!
What happened to our culture of maintenance?
It is increasingly becoming clearer and clearer everyday that the maintenance culture is very alien to us as a people. Successive governments and key stakeholders have spoken to this very topic, but it always remains mere talk with little or no action at all. Painfully, we do not seem to have any level of maintenance consciousness. It is shameful!
That the Baba Yara Stadium has been granted only a one-match approval for yesterday’s first leg qualifier is a huge dent on our image as a football nation!
Read the CAF letter to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in part: “… upon conclusion of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 play-off round match, the stadium is automatically removed from the list of CAF approved stadiums and will only be approved for any subsequent CAF/FIFA international senior national teams matches and CAF men’s inter-clubs competitions, following the implementation of all the CAF remarks.”
Again, this is discreditable!
Come to think about this, among the things that CAF ordered to be fixed is the water system to provide both cold and hot water in the teams and officials’ dressing room; general refurbishment of the CAF office, installation of modern desks and seats, including the necessary electronic and working equipment; complete refurbishment of the media tribune, press conference room and media centre and installing new and modern equipment.
Questions that many have asked is whether we did not have these in place as the standard demanded or they have just gone awful?
The National Sports Authority (NSA) is the body mandated to manage and maintain the national edifice, and must be alive to its responsibilities and not to allow itself to be turned into a fire brigade.
Ghana, we were told, spent close to $250,000 to rehabilitate the Accra Sports Stadium before the 2018 Total Women’s AFCON was held at the venue. It is nearly four years since that event was hosted. Today, take a trip to the stadium and see whether we have done justice to ourselves. We can do better than what the Accra stadium looks at the moment.
As we express our appreciation to CAF for its magnanimity in accepting the Kumasi stadium, let us wake up from our slumber – be on the qui vive, so that we do not find ourselves in such tight corner again.
We are bigger than that – and we do not have to allow ourselves to be subjected to such embarrassment and global ridicule. Never again!
PlainTalk With John Vigah
A Ghana Premier League (GPL) thriller is anticipated at the Baba Yara Stadium tomorrow as Asante Kotoko welcome Medeama SC for their week 12 top-liner.
Fourth placed Kotoko sits two points below Medeama SC who are third on the log. Their position on the log further adds another layer to the fiercest battle expected to unfold.
Before their second round game last season, the two sides shared two wins apiece in their last four league meetings in Kumasi. However, Coach Abdul Karim Zito inflicted a 3-2 victory on the Yellow and Mauves side with former striker Albert Amoah grabbing all three goals.
Tomorrow, Amoah will not be in action and since his departure from the club, Coach Zito’s side have found the going tough in front of goal, a factor that could determine this game.
Kotoko go into tomorrow’s fixture on the back of losing their unbeaten run in 11 games after being beaten 2-1 by Basake Holy Stars on Wednesday in their outstanding Week 3 league fixture.
Before that clash, the University of Ghana Sports Stadium will today host the game between Hearts of Oak and Vision FC.
Hearts coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani hopes his side will carry the day after two draws on the road while coach Nana Kweku Agyemang of Vision FC is also aiming to pick his first victory over the Phobians.
League leaders Aduana FC will trek to the Bibiani Dun’s Park to play as guests of Bibiani Gold Stars tomorrow while second placed Heart of Lions welcome Karela United to the Kpando Stadium.
At the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park, Bechem United will welcome Hohoe United, Berekum Chelsea will face Samartex FC at the Golden City Park in Berekum while Basake Holy Stars will host Nations FC at the Ampian AAK II Sports Arena in Azulewanu.
In other games, Swedru All Blacks will host Young Apostles at the Swedru Stadium with Eleven Wonders chasing their first victory of the season against Dreams FC on Monday at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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Government has injected more than 3.4 billion cedis into the National Health Insurance Scheme after the removal of the cap on NHIS funding.
The Deputy Chief Executive responsible for Operations, Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, told staff in Tamale that the move is the biggest investment in the Scheme since it was created in 2003.
He explained that the additional funds are already strengthening health financing across the country.
Dr Kwesi Djokoto addressed a trainer of trainers workshop on the ongoing reforms of the National Health Insurance Authority on Friday, November 21.
He noted that in 2024 the Scheme used 52 percent of its resources on claims and is using 65 percent this year, with plans to increase that figure again next year.
He explained that Executive Management, led by Chief Executive Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, is working to build a modern and efficient Scheme that focuses on people and meets its promise of providing fair access to quality health care.
Dr Kwesi Djokoto also outlined the Authority’s digital reforms, which are meant to bring health services closer to members and make the Scheme more resilient.
The initiatives form part of the Telehealth strategy and include the E pharmacy platform, which links patients to nearby pharmacies, the Biometric Membership Authentication System that verifies members seeking care, and a cashless system at registration centres.
He noted that these reforms are designed to improve access to quality health care and support Ghana’s goal of achieving Universal Health Care by 2030.
The Northern Regional Operations Manageress, Madam Fauzia Shingu Alhassan, welcomed participants on behalf of the Regional Director.
She stated that the training is part of reforms aimed at redefining the NHIS and making it sustainable.
She added that the digital upgrades represent major changes that will make the Scheme more efficient, accessible, and trustworthy.
The workshop brought together officials of the Ghana Health Service, the Christian Health Association of Ghana, private health providers, and a representative of the Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Mr Gaeten Adangabey.
The Acting Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Oswald Essuah Mensah, and the Acting Deputy Director of MIS, Mr Orison Aflu, took participants through the design of the digital platforms and how they will be rolled out next year.
Other officials present included the Acting Director of MIS, Mr Vitus Kaleo Bioh, Acting Director of the Claims and Illegal Payments Taskforce, Mr Isaac Gideon Akonde, the Head of Communication, Madam Faustina Dery, the Acting Deputy Director of Marketing, Madam Angela Asiedu, and the Acting Deputy Director of Client and Provider Relations, Madam Hamdiya Yakubu.
By: Jacob Aggrey
