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Stars poised to finish off Madagascar tomorrow
• Joseph Paintsil — Stars
The senior national team, the Black Stars, will face off with Madagascar in the penultimate 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the Stade Kianja Barea in Antananarivo tomorrow.
Victory for the Stars would see them book a place in the 2023 AFCON, scheduled to be hosted in Cote d’Ivoire, next year.
Led by Andre Dede Ayew and his assistant Arsenal’s midfielder Thomas Partey, the team had prepared feverishly for the encounter and focused on clinching all three points with a game to spare in the qualifiers.
Coach Chris Hughton with his charges, after intensifying preparations for the must-win game, departed for Madagascar yesterday to settle in for the crucial encounter.
After four games, Ghana occupy the top spot with eight points with Central African Republic (CAR) and Angola occupying the second and third positions with seven and five points respectively.
Ghana’s opponents for tomorrow, Madagascar, are bottom on the table with just a point and would need a win to stand a chance of making it to the continental showpiece next year.
Though it would be a herculean task beating the Black Stars, the host would rely on their home support to attempt to stage an upset for a very competitive final round.
Coach Hughton, who is only finding his rhythm with the team as head coach, would set up to give the host a run for their money.
The likes of Mohammed Kudus, Salis Abdul Samed, Jordan Ayew and debutant Ernest Nuamah will be expected to make a mark for Ghana in their bid to secure all three points.
The Stars will go all out for the win to make the final round of qualifiers to be held between September 4-12, a mere formality.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has issued a strong public statement calling for an end to what he describes as continuous attacks on his brand, following an apology from media commentator Awal Mohammed.
In the statement, Shatta Wale acknowledged the apology but stressed that persistent criticism and what he sees as deliberate attempts to damage his image must stop.
He noted that for many years, he has spoken for the streets, the youth, and people who feel ignored by society, while also promoting Ghana on the global stage and creating jobs through his work.
He expressed concern that some media personalities, commentators, and influential figures continue to target his name unfairly.
According to him, the issue goes beyond music and touches on respect, fairness, and national maturity.
The musician warned that continued disrespect toward voices that represent ordinary people could have wider consequences.
He emphasised that the Shatta Movement remains strong and organized, and that the patience of the masses should not be taken for granted.
He added that if systems continue to fail the people, they have the ability to organize politically through numbers and truth, not violence or hate.
Shatta Wale clarified that his message was not a threat but a reminder of reality, stressing that attacking a symbol that represents millions of people can have social, cultural, and democratic effects.
He called for respect, fairness, and unity, saying the voice of the people will always rise.
The statement comes after Awal Mohammed recently described Shatta Wale fans during a public discussion as junkies.
The comments triggered backlash from fans of the musician, prompting Awal to later issue an apology.
By: Jacob Aggrey
