Hot!
Why the delay in honouring them?
- /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Honour.jpg&description=Why the delay in honouring them?', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Honour.jpg&description=Why the delay in honouring them?', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
From left: Wahid, Amoah, Commey, Deborah and Mensah won medals
at the Birmingham Games
Earlier this week, Ghana’s medalists at the recently-held Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, expressed grave discontent over the delay in awarding them – weeks after a promise to that effect.
The athletes – five in number – had returned home from the Birmingham Games on Wednesday, August 10 last month, in high spirits after making the nation proud, to some large extent. As usual, praises upon praises were decanted on them. It was a normal thing that greeted every feat in Ghana.
Not surprising, the medalists did not smile at the loads of laudations. That was not what they needed.
From their demeanour, they were waiting for prizes that went with their performance to be announced. But nothing came except promises.
“When we arrived on Wednesday, August 10, they told us we were going to receive something good on Friday; that’s two days later. Yet, it’s almost a month now and nothing has happened,” one of the frustrated athletes told the Spectator Sports.
In reaction, a source at the Ministry of Youth and Sports that wants to remain anonymous, said “arrangements are far advanced to reward the athletes.”
“We have not forgotten them at all; they’ll be sorted out pretty soon,” it insisted.
As of the time of putting this piece together, the athletes were yet to receive any national rewards, a development which has been condemned by many followers of Ghana sports.
Meanwhile, barely 24 hours after touching down, Nigeria’s Ministry of Youth and Sports Development splashed $25,000 on Team Nigeria athletes who clinched 35 medals at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Gold medal winners received $5,000 each, while their coaches were also given $3,000 each. Silver medalists pocketed $3,000 for their effort with bronze medalists settling for $2,000.
One question that many have asked is what is preventing the government from honouring the athletes – a whole month after returning from the Games?
Four years ago, the nation’s only medallist at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games – boxer Jessie Lartey, received $2,000 financial reward from the government, for winning bronze. The honour came barely a week on returning from the Games.
There was massive expansion on the medal haul this time around as five athletes – Paul Amoah (bronze, 200m), Deborah Acquah (bronze, long jump), Joseph Commey (silver, boxing), Abraham Mensah (silver, boxing) and Abdul Wahid (bronze, boxing) all bestowed the nation with something to smile about.
Delay in honouring them has dampened their spirit – even if temporarily. It is inexplicable! Certainly, if they were football players that had brought medals home, they were going to be treated differently. This must stop! It is not the best. This is not the way to promote sports.
Most athletes have a natural talent for their sport. But what motivates them to drive themselves to succeed is to be motivated extrinsically. In our part of the world, giving the athlete something in the form of cash – as the Nigerian government had done is most admirable to them.
Even before they embarked on their campaign in Birmingham, the Nigerian athletes were told of what awaited them should they win medals. That got them dreaming for gold. But we were silent on ours, suggesting we did not believe in our own.
Let us be serious on the way we treat our athletes; for they are the same people we would be relying on in future competitions. Who else?
PlainTalk with John Vigah
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
