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Ghana Badminton raises Africa’s flag at the World Championships in USA
In the fantastic city of Spokane, Washington, where the 2023 BWF World Junior Badminton Championship is taking place, Ghana made history and a name for the country, with the teenagers fighting as if their very existence depended on not giving up the events.
The World Championships also serves as an Olympic qualifier for the Paris 2024 global event.
Before this, the Ghana Badminton team participated in South Africa, Nigeria events and a National Open last summer.
A 16-man contingent of players and officials led by Ghana’s Badminton President, Yeboah Evans, is all the motivation the players need to self-motivate themselves, chalking the historic most significant achievement in the Mixed team event by any African country in 23 years of the World Championships.
Over 54 countries are in the United States fighting for honours, with Ghana presenting a few players for the tournament but registering gains that can only inspire a more significant achievement sooner than later.
The young players, with some of them travelling outside the country for the first time, are impressing even officials of their opponents, drawing commendations for having a great future ahead towards the 2023 African Games, 2024 Paris Olympics, 2026 Youth Olympics, and other international open and invitational events.
Ghana became the first African Country to have reached the finals of its Mix Team Group, having lost to Norway in the final stage. Ghanaian Players Andy Amofa and Elvis Osei won the Mixed Team Event’s 4th and 5th best players, whilst Moslena Adu placed 10th in the overall player rankings.
Ghana had to settle for second place in the group match, which nonetheless marked a historic achievement. Amofa committed a rare service error but quickly recovered, delivering a cross-court smash to regain the lead at 11-09.
In a crucial moment, Amofa surprised the Norway Aldrin NELSON by returning a shuttle that appeared to be heading wide, but the Norway player managed to keep it close to the net. Amofa returned the shuttle and secured the point with a well-executed backflip to the other side of the court, taking an 11-09 lead.
Despite Nelson saving two match points, he failed to return a body smash by Amofa near the net. With a final score of 3-0, Ghana lost the last game and handed Norway a winning match, concluding the Ghanaian players one of their career’s most riveting badminton games.
Ghana performed far better than the earlier 2017 World Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia and pole position for the 2024 France Olympics Qualification ranking with four other international matches until the deadline of April 28, 2028.
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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
