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Kurt Okraku motivates Nsoatreman FC ahead of debut CAF Confederation Cup
The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has backed Nsoatreman FC to excel in their debut CAF Confederation Cup campaign.
Nsoatreman, which clinched the 2023-24 MTN FA Cup, will host Chadian Premier League side, Elect Sport FC, in the preliminary round of the 2024-25 Total Energies CAF Confederation Cup competition, on Sunday August 18, 2024 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
President Simeon-Okraku, who also witnessed the Division One League (DOL) Super Cup final at the Nana Konamansah Park, motivated the players and technical team to keep their focus and write their names in letters of gold.
“You carry the aspirations of over 30 million Ghanaians and I will urge you to keep the focus and take your training seriously,” President Simeon-Okraku told the players and technical staff.
“Playing in Africa comes with enormous benefits. It is my fervent hope and prayer that you will raise the flag of our country high as you embark on this adventure.”
He said, “Medeama and Dreams did very well last time and we’re confident about your prospects in the CAF Confederation Cup.”
According to him, “The Football Association will continue to offer its support to you in the best way that we can to ensure you deliver for our people. On behalf of myself, the Executive Council and Ghanaians, we wish you well as you begin the journey to conquer Africa.”
The Ghanaian side will mark their debut appearance in African inter-club competition at home when they host Elect Sport in the first leg of the round before travelling away for the second leg.
The Nsoatre-based side will use the Accra Sports Stadium as their home venue for the preliminary round of matches after CAF granted both Nsoatreman FC and Samartex 1996 (Ghana’s Champions League representatives) approval for the use of the facility.
The preliminary round will commence between August 16-18, 2024, and the winner of the two-leg tie will face the winner of the matchup between Algerian side CS Constantine and Police FC of Rwanda in the second round in September.
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
