Hot!
Stars, no distractions!
Many Ghanaians have been sitting on tenterhooks, following a vicious protest filed to FIFA by the South Africa Football Association (SAFA) against Ghana as regards its Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying loss to the Black Stars.
The South Africans, evidently sour losers to the Stars, had claimed match-manipulation amongst others, hugely culminated in the 1-0 defeat; also fingering Senegalese Referee MaquetteNdiaye as part of the plot.
Well, as of putting this piece together, FIFA – the world football controlling body, was yet to make a pronouncement on the matter. That is a bit strange. Wonder why this case should take more than two weeks to adjudicate. Maybe, the delay was necessary because of SA’s allegations of match-manipulation which has to be proven beyond every reasonable doubt FIFA.
Whichever way, it would be one of the greatest wonders in world football should FIFA order a replay of the game – the relief SAFA is desperately seeking – unless it can clinically provide evidence of matching manipulation.
Having been bowled out from both next year’s African Nations Cup and the Qatar World Cup, it is obvious South Africa are in extreme pain that can only be assuaged by a FIFA replay dispensation of the Cape Coast game.
It would not happen!
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) must not be sweating over the SAFA protest but rather start planning about the next AFCON which four-time champions Ghana has not won for four decades – 40 good years!
It is a huge ignominy and sheer embarrassment – even to African football that the Stars are yet to annex the continental Holy Grail, all this while.
That must be the prime focus of the GFA now, to break that Stygian disquieting ‘silence’ that has left many experts of continental football utterly confounded.
What this means is that Ghana would have to send a formidably winsome team to the biennial football festival in Cameroon and give the campaign a big crack in its bid to put that missing smile on the faces of Ghanaians.
Once we are able to present a solid contingent in Cameroon, we are also sure of putting forth an equally tremendous outfit capable of taking care of our World Cup play-off in March 2022.
Our Black Stars may not be playing spectacularly well at the moment but have strongly proven that they can rise to the occasion when the stakes are high.
What the players need now is to show a lot more sense of commitment and purpose without which they do not stand a chance of achieving their targets.
Of course, they also need an unflinchingly consummate backing from Ghanaians, especially when the going becomes uncompromisingly tough.
No distractions! Focus!
PlainTalk with John Vigah
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 Tourism Authority is leading Ghana’s participation at ITB Berlin, which opened in Berlin with a vibrant national pavilion highlighting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, tourism destinations and investment opportunities.
March 5 has been designated as Ghana Day, a special platform to promote Ghana’s languages, cuisine, Kente, festivals and business prospects to the global tourism community. The stand has already drawn strong interest with traditional arts and crafts displays, immersive multimedia presentations and popular Ghanaian snacks.
Seven private-sector players are exhibiting alongside government officials as part of efforts to deepen trade partnerships, expand market access, and attract investment across the hospitality, heritage tourism, ecotourism, and creative arts sectors.
Ahead of the official opening, the Ghana delegation also engaged young Ghanaian investors in Germany in collaboration with V Afrika-Verein and the Ghana Embassy, strengthening diaspora investment linkages and highlighting opportunities within the tourism value chain.
Ghana’s coordinated presence at ITB Berlin 2026 reinforces its strategy to position the country as the Gateway to Africa and a competitive destination for leisure travel and global investment.
