Hot!
We just cannot miss CHAN again!
• Annor Walker – Coach, Black Galaxies
In the next couple of weeks, Ghana’s locally-assembled players, now known as the Black Galaxies (formerly Local Black Stars), will swing into action with qualification to the 2023 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) tournament to be held in Algeria sturdily embossed on their minds.
The Championship for African Nations (CHAN), is strictly reserved for players campaigning at the domestic front; a tournament that is progressively growing in popularity since its inception in 2009.
The Galaxies are expected to face Benin in a two-legged game starting July 27 this month at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium – with the aggregate winner facing off with Nigeria for a place in Algeria 2023.
Idea behind the creation of CHAN is to afford homegrown players the opportunity to represent their countries as well as promoting their domestic leagues globally.
The first country to win the CHAN trophy was the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo who upstaged the Black Galaxies 2-0 in an absorbing ‘grand finale of revenge,’ hosted by Côte d’Ivoire.
The Ghanaians, then coached by Maxwell Konadu, had dazzled the Congolese at the group stage before baking them 3-0. That invigorating performance was enough to see all dashing in favour of the previously known Local Black Stars team, in spite of the wizardry of DR Congo’s Tresor Mputu Mabi.
Wrong! What was generally expected to be an encore for the Galaxies in the final, turned out to be a disappointing show of anguish as two second half strikes from Kaluyituka Dioko and Mbenza Bedi sounded the death knell for Ghana.
Nonetheless, on the back of that scintillating outing, experts of the continental game tipped the Galaxies to make amends two years later by lifting the Holy Grail. This time again, wrong! At the 2011 edition, the team was shamefully flushed out at the group stage, but managed to bounce back in 2014 for another silver medal spot after losing to Libya, via the lottery of shoot-out.
Ever since, there has been failure upon failure to the chagrin of fans who attribute the slump to poor selection and inadequate preparations. In fact, since the South Africa tournament in 2014, the Galaxies are yet to qualify for the CHAN biennial event – failing to respond to the roll call in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
For a country that prides itself as one of the powerhouses of the continental game, it was shameful and discomforting to see this damning droop.
With the Black Starlets (national Under-17 boys team), Black Satellites (national Under-20 male team), the Black Maidens (national women Under-17 team), and the Black Queens (senior national women’s team) – all failing to qualify for their respective campaigns, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) must stretch every sinew left in them to ensure the Galaxies pick a spot in Algeria 2023, this time around.
Failing to qualify for the CHAN tournament for the fourth time in succession would be too much a bitter pill for the nation to bear.
This is also why sweat merchant of the Galaxies – Annor Walker, must invite the right kind of materials capable of not only qualifying, but making waves at the tournament. Walker’s deputy – Prosper Nartey Ogum, is a bundle of quality, spearheading Kumasi Asante Kotoko to Ghana Premier League (GPL) success in the just-ended season. He must be able to combine efficiently with Walker to produce an inspiring result in the qualifiers as they search for the nation’s CHAN ticket in eight years.
Truth is that the battle is going to be a tough, energy-sapping engagement – especially when Nigeria is lying on the way, composedly waiting for the Ghana v Benin winner to slug things out.
One, therefore, does not need to remind the GFA and the technical team of the Galaxies to gird their loins for the Himalayan task ahead.
We want to see players who, aside from their superlative quality, would be prepared to die for the result on the pitch rather than give up!
PlainTalk With John Vigah
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, together with members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), on April 17, 2026, decorated nineteen (19) senior officers who have been promoted to their next ranks based on the recommendations of the Police Council and approval of the President, John Dramani Mahama.
The ceremony, held at the National Police Headquarters in Accra, forms part of efforts to recognise merit, dedication, and long-standing service within the Ghana Police Service, while strengthening leadership across key operational and administrative levels.
The officers promoted from Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) to Commissioner of Police (COP) are Dr. Luke Asue-In-Yeng Zakpaa, Mr. Frederick Agyei, Mr. Duuti Tuaruka, Mr. Arthur Osei-Akoto, Mr. Darko Offei Lomotey, Mr. Eric Ken Winful, Mr. Barnabas Nambont Nasumong, and Mr. Desmond Owusu Boampong.
The IGP and members of POMAB congratulated the officers and urged them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) successfully held its sixth (6th) Exchange Programme, hosted by the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) Bank in Accra from March 22 to 23 March.
The event brought together member institutions, partner organisations and Ghanaian public entities to advance dialogue on South-South trade, investment and development finance, while also creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and institutional cooperation.
Organised as a capacity-building and networking platform, the 2026 edition of the G-NEXID Exchange focused on GEXIM’s experience in developing innovative solutions to promote intra-African and extra-African trade.
It also highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader national development initiatives.
The Exchange Programme forms part of G-NEXID’s mandate to foster cooperation among export-import banks and development finance institutions in support of South-South trade and investment.
This 6th edition follows earlier successful programmes hosted by India Exim Bank (2016), BNDES (2017), Indonesia Eximbank (2018), Afreximbank (2019) and Saudi EXIM Bank (2025).
On the first day, participants were presented with G-NEXID institutional information and received an update on the Network’s 2026 work programme.
There were a series of substantive presentations, including an overview of the Ghanaian economy by the Ministry of Finance, with particular attention to debt-related challenges; a presentation by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on investment opportunities in the country; and institutional presentations by GEXIM and Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on their respective mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Discussions during the sessions underscored strong interest in sector-focused webinars and business dialogues, particularly in agribusiness value chains such as poultry and rice.
Participants also emphasized the importance of continued information exchange and the sharing of best practices, especially in the area of guarantees.
The second day opened with a presentation on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a national economic transformation strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025.
The initiative aims to enhance economic productivity through continuous industrial activity, accelerated export development and strategic import substitution.
As the programme is expected to mobilise both private and development capital, it presents concrete opportunities for G-NEXID members in areas such as co-financing, guarantees, trade finance and technical cooperation.
The programme also featured institutional presentations by guest organisations, namely the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund (FAGACE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which shared their mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Following these exchanges, the G-NEXID Secretariat held bilateral discussions with both institutions as part of the Network’s ongoing membership drive.
Participants further benefited from a presentation by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), as well as a showcase of GEXIM’s key pipeline projects.
On the margins of the Exchange Programme, G-NEXID members also held their 20th Annual General Assembly Meeting to review progress and discuss strategic priorities.
Following the event, participants joined the GEXIM@10 International Conference, held from March 24-25, 2026 under the theme, “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The conference provided an important platform for exploring how Ghana can strengthen its transition from a primary commodity exporter to a more competitive player in value-added trade and industrial development.
Source – G-NEXID
