Sports
Premier League: Hearts silence Young Apostles; Medeama suffer first defeat; GoldStars unbeaten start intact
Hearts of Oak produced a superb performance at Young Apostles, Medeama SC suffered their first defeat of the season while Gold Stars FC continued their unbeaten start to the season in match day 6 of the Premier League on Sunday October 13, 2024.
Here is a wrap of Sunday’s matches in the Ghanaian top-flight across five centres after FC Samartex 1996’s match against Nsoatreman FC was rained off.
Young Apostles FC 1-2 Hearts of Oak
Hearts of Oak recorded a 2-1 win at Young Apostles to return to winning ways in the Premier League at the Wenchi Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Hamza Issah scored the match-winning goal in the 86th minute to hand the Phobians their first away win of the season.
Emmanuel Amankwah put Hearts ahead in the 48th minute before Samuel Prempeh pulled parity for the home side in the 84th minute. But the leveler lasted just two minutes as Hamza Issah delivered a sublime finish to end the match.
Hearts have jumped into midtable while Young Apostles have dropped to the drop zone.
Bechem United 2-0 Medeama SC
Medeama SC suffered their first defeat of the season after losing 2-0 at Bechem United on Sunday.
The Mauve and Yellow went down after just five minutes with Dalvin Yeboah slotting home the opener before Emmanuel Abban added the second in the 43rd minute.
Medeama are now without a win in three consecutives matches as United move up to 9th in the table.
Nations FC 1-1 GoldStars FC
Gold Stars continued their unbeaten start to the season with a vital 1-1 draw at Nations FC on Sunday.
Faisal Chawetey opened the scoring for the home side at the Dr. Kwame Kyei Sports Complex, Abrankese, in the 34th minute before Kelvin Oppong equalised with nine minutes left on the clock.
Frimpong Manso’s side held on to pick a valuable point on the road and maintained their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 Premier League campaign.
Gold Stars are top of table with 12 points while Nations FC lie 5th after six matches in the Ghanaian elite division.
Aduana FC 2-0 Dreams FC
Aduana FC recorded their first win of the season after a comfortable 2-0 win over Dreams FC at home on Sunday.
Two second half goals propelled the Fire Club to their first win of the campaign. Dreams FC remain winless after six matches.
Emmanuel Marfo (47′) and Abubakar Adams (89′) scored to ensure Yaw Acheampong’s side record their first win of the campaign.
The win has lifted Aduana FC to 13th in the table, while Dreams are at a precarious 17th.
Basake Holy Stars 1-0 Karela United
Basake Holy Stars recorded their second win of the season with a narrow 1-0 victory over Karela United at home on Sunday.
Prince Opoku’s 77th minute strike separated the two teams at the Crosby Awuah Memorial Park.
Holy Stars are two points above Karela United in 12th position with seven points, while United lie 14th with five points.
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
