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Can Stars win gold in Cameroon? …as AFCON roars off tomorrow
Nine past winners are among 24 countries fully loaded for the 33rd edition of the TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, slated for Cameroon tomorrow.
The celebrated nine are: Egypt (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010), Cameroon (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017), Ghana (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982), Algeria (1990, 2019), Cote d’Ivoire (1992, 2015), Nigeria (1980, 1994, 2013), Tunisia (2004), Sudan (1970) and Ethiopia (1962).
The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in June and July 2021, but CAF announced on January 15 2020, that due to hostile climatic conditions during this period, the tournament would take place from January 9 to February 6 2021.
However, on June 30 2020, CAF again moved the tournament for the second time to January 2022, following the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic across the continent, whilst retaining the name 2021 Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship purposes.
Algeria are the defending champions, having won the 2019 edition.
It is expected that the finest of continental football will decant from the tantalizing feet of the hundreds of players that would converge in the five cities (Douala, Yaounde, Garoua, Bafoussam and Limbe) of Cameroon.
After the group stage, the top two teams from each group and the four highest ranked third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16. The round of 16 winners will advance to the quarter-finals and the quarter-final winners will advance to the semi-finals. The semi-final losers will play in a third place match, while the semi-final winners will contest the final.
For most Ghanaians, the concern is not too much about gorgeous football. It is about putting up a brave pitch performance and breaking the nation’s trophy jinx for the first time since 1982. It is now four decades – 40 incredible years, since the Black Stars lifted the Holy Grail, and the time to exorcise the ghost of failure is now or never.
Leading the Stars in that taxing adventure is Andre Dede Ayew, who, inspired by the sound technical direction of returnee Serbian coach, Milovan Rajevac, is expected to land Ghana that fifth elusive gold – hopefully.
This is why Ghanaians would be watching with bated breath as the buoyant Stars take to the field against Morocco’s Atlas Lions in their Group C opening game on Monday, December 10, at the 42,500-capacity Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé
BY SPECTATOR SPORTS REPORTER:
Parliament has confirmed that the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, has been detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
In a statement signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Parliament said the incident had been brought to the attention of the House leadership.
According to the statement, the Speaker of Parliament and the leadership of the House are currently in contact with Ghana’s Mission in The Hague to gather detailed information about the matter.
Parliament, however, did not disclose the reasons behind the MP’s detention.
“The public will be duly informed appropriately on this matter,” the statement added.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s parliament has marked the 2nd edition of May Day 2026 under the theme “ Welcome Home”.
It was special day meant to celebrate the invaluable support of the workforce, recognizing the commitment, resilience, and contributions of workers to institutional growth and national development.
Delivering the message on behalf of the Speaker, the 1st Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, described the theme as very apt, appropriate, and timely, noting that Parliament is more than a workplace, it is a shared home.
He emphasized that we cannot speak about work without speaking about people, reminding everyone that the true measure of our work is the well-being of our people.
He urged that our traditional clothing become an integral part of our everyday clothing, and that our local languages must become integral to our daily lives, interwoven into education and practiced at home.
Referencing Standing Order 63, which captures the use of local language as optional in deliberations, he encouraged a renewed commitment to identity, saying it is significant that we “come home” and present who we are so future generations can inherit a story they can fully tell.
The Clerk, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in his remarks commended officers for their dedication and devotion to duty, calling on them to go the extra mile and leave legacies.
Echoing the reminder that an unexamined life is not worth living, he described the event as an invitation to reconnect with our roots through cultural revival.
The Deputy Clerk, C&FMS, Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, urged all not to forget their roots, the people behind the stories of ministries, industries, and the strides made both in-house and beyond.
What began last year has now become a meaningful tradition, showcasing Ghanaian heritage, fostering unity, and encouraging innovation under the principle of diversity for unity and diversity for progress, she added.
The gathering brought together leadership, public officials, and staff across all levels, along with the media, standing as a unifying platform that honored service, celebrated culture, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to national development.
