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Spirited Starlets poised to crash Benin today
The stage is set for another captivating showdown as the National Under-17 side, the Black Starlets, lock horns with Benin in their second group game of the 2024 WAFU Zone B U17 Championship.
With Ghana virtually qualified for the semi-finals and Benin looking to resurrect their campaign after their loss to Ivory Coast, Tuesday’s encounter promises to be a fierce encounter.
The Black Starlets enter the match on the back of their resounding 5-1 victory over Ivory Coast in their opening fixture. In that match, the Black Starlets showcased their attacking prowess and clinical finishing, setting a formidable and intimidating tone for the tournament.
With no injury concerns in camp, Coach Laryea Kingston’s squad is pregnant with confidence and poised to sustain their winning momentum against Benin.
On the other hand, Benin finds themselves in a do-or-die situation after suffering a defeat to Ivory Coast in their opening match.
With their semi-final hopes hanging in the balance, the Beninois side understands the gravity of the upcoming clash against Ghana.
A victory over Ghana would not only revive their aspirations but also catapult them into contention for a spot in the knockout stages.
Ghana eyes total dominance over Benin and a win to top the group in their bid to get to the semi-finals of the championship.
Coach Laryea Kingston is optimistic that his side will put up a good game against Benin and win to secure a ticket to the semi-finals.
“In football, you don’t need to underrate your opponent. We’re favourites and we know that, but that will not make us complacent. We have everything to play for because all that Ghanaians are expecting from us is qualification to the AFCON. We’ll respect our opponents but keep to our principles,” Laryea Kingston said after the team’s final training on Monday.
The strength of the Black Starlets lies in their potent attack, exemplified by their free-scoring performances in recent matches.
Recording impressive 5-1 victories against both Serbia and Kazakhstan in their preparatory games, and recording the same scoreline against Ivory Coast in the championship, the Black Starlets have demonstrated their ability to find the back of the net with ease.
With the stage set for a thrilling encounter, all eyes will be on the Black Starlets as they seek to assert their dominance and take a step further towards their goal of winning the tournament.
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
