Head coach of Police Ladies, Abu Kassim, has been named Women’s Coach of the Year at the 2025 Ghana Football Awards, held at the Grand Arena in Accra.

Kassim guided Police Ladies to their first-ever Ghana Women’s Premier League title, ending the dominance of Ampem Darkoa Ladies.

His side went unbeaten in the Southern Zone and topped the table with 39 points before defeating Ampem Darkoa 2-0 in the Championship final.

Under his leadership, Police Ladies showed consistent form throughout the season, scoring the most goals and conceding the fewest in their zone.

Kassim beat competition from Joyce Boatey Agyei, who led the Black Damsels to a strong debut season, and Mercy Tagoe, who guided Oaks FC to a top-four finish.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Deputy Minister of Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi

The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, in collaboration with the United Nations Trade and Development, has hosted a national validation workshop to finalise Ghana’s first National E-Commerce Strategy.

The workshop marks a major milestone in the country’s efforts to harness digital trade for inclusive economic growth and transformation.

The workshop brought together senior government officials, representatives from the private sector, academia, civil society, and development partners to review and endorse the draft strategy.

The document outlines strategic goals and actions designed to overcome structural and trade-related barriers, empower micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), foster decent job creation, enhance social inclusion, and support economic diversification through e-commerce.

The initiative follows the eTrade Readiness Assessment (eT Ready) conducted by UNCTAD in response to a 2023 request by MoTAI.

Published in November 2023, the assessment identified policy gaps and development opportunities in Ghana’s e-commerce ecosystem. Based on these findings, MoTAI formally requested UNCTAD’s assistance in March 2024 to develop a comprehensive national strategy.

The event marked a significant milestone in both parties’ collective efforts to harness the power of digital trade. It marks not only the culmination of months of consultations, research, and inter-agency dialogue, but more importantly, it signaled the parties’ collective readiness to embrace the future of trade.

“This strategy is ambitious yet practical while promoting trust in the digital space, improving logistics and payment systems, supporting MSMEs to thrive online, and ensuring inclusive access for women and rural communities. It is the beginning of a coordinated national effort to make e-commerce work for all Ghanaians,” Mr Sampson Ahi, the Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, said.

As part of the many efforts, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry in collaboration with all partners, is also establishing an E-commerce and Digital Trade National Steering Committee, comprising of members from the public and private sectors, academia and civil society organisations.

This Committee will guide, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the E-commence strategy and ensure policy coherence across sectors.

HUNCTAD’s support is provided within the framework of a joint programme aimed at leveraging digital ecosystems for increased MSME productivity, jointly implemented with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and coordinated by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO).

The programme is funded by the Joint SDG Fund Digital Transformation Round (2023) and focuses on building national capacity for planning and implementing inclusive e-commerce reforms.

Consultations leading up to the draft strategy included national dialogues held in June 2024, followed by stakeholder engagements through October and November 2024.

Beyond shaping the strategy’s content, this participatory process has fostered stronger inter-ministerial coordination and enriched public-private dialogue in Ghana’s digital economy space.

“Ghana’s commitment to shaping a forward-looking e-commerce strategy is a testament to the country’s vision for inclusive and sustainable digital transformation,” Torbjörn Fredriksson, Head of the E-commerce and Digital Economy Branch at UNCTAD, said.

The validation of the National E-Commerce Strategy represents a pivotal step in positioning the country to capitalize on opportunities within the global digital economy.

President John Dramani Mahama

]President John Dramani Mahama has assured residents of the North East Region that they will soon benefit from some of the best road infrastructure in the country.

He made this pledge during a working visit to the regional capital, Nalerigu, on Friday, June 13, 2025.

Speaking at the event, President Mahama acknowledged the long-standing challenges of poor road connectivity in the region, which he said have hindered economic activities across the six district assemblies.

He noted that his government, under the ambitious ‘Big Push’ infrastructure programme, is committed to changing the narrative.

Mahama stressed that the 2025 national budget has prioritized infrastructure development to address what he described as a “historical injustice” faced by the region.

He said, “Ladies and gentlemen, development is movement and connectivity, and roads are the veins that carry economic life across our country. Despite its strategic location and agricultural potential, the North East Region has long suffered from poor road connectivity. This will soon be a thing of the past. By the time I leave office in four years, the North East Region will have some of the best roads in the country. Guided by this vision, my government, in the 2025 budget, has made infrastructure development a priority, and we’re committed to addressing the injustice the North East has faced.”

A key part of this initiative, according to him, is the completion of the ‘Mishio-Wuyima Bridge’ in the West Mamprusi Municipality, which has been incorporated into the Big Push agenda.

President Mahama confirmed that the Big Push programme will invest GHS20 billion in infrastructure projects nationwide.

He assured contractors executing projects under the initiative that they will be paid within two weeks of submitting their certificates to prevent delays and ensure timely completion.

President Mahama added, “One of our first priorities is the completion of the Mishio-Wuyima Bridge in the West Mamprusi Municipality. Indeed, we have included the Mishio-Wuyima Bridge in the Big Push. The Big Push is a programme where we have devoted GHS20 billion to infrastructure development. The Finance Minister has stated that all contractors executing projects under the Big Push will be paid within two weeks of presenting their certificates, ensuring that projects do not stall.”

President John Dramani Mahama

President John Mahama has directed the Ministers of Finance and Energy to adopt strategies aimed at protecting Ghana’s recent economic growth amid tensions in the Middle East.

His comments come after Israel launched a preemptive attack on Iran, targeting its nuclear facilities. Iran responded by launching several missiles into Israeli territory.

The president, speaking in the North-East Region during a Thank You tour, observed that the country was not “immune” to external shocks resulting from global events.

“Recent events in the Middle East, involving an exchange of missiles between Israel and Iran, have started to escalate crude oil prices dramatically,” he said.

“I’ve asked our Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, and Minister of Energy, John Jinapor, to closely monitor the developments, model the possible impact on our petroleum prices, and prepare measures to protect the recent gains we have made,” the president stated.

Crude oil prices surged on Friday after tensions escalated, prompting fears of energy supply disruptions from the Middle East.

Brent crude surged roughly 7%, settling around $74.23 per barrel after an intraday jump of over 13% to about $78.50, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbed approximately 7.6–7.7%, closing between $72.98 and $73.12 per barrel.

The United States is considering restricting entry to citizens of an additional 36 countries in what would be a significant expansion of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration early this month, according to a State Department memo reviewed by The Washington Post.

Among the new list of countries that could face visa bans or other restrictions are 25 African nations, including significant U.S. partners such as Egypt and Djibouti, plus countries in the Caribbean, Central Asia and several Pacific Island nations.

A State Department spokesperson said the agency would not comment on internal deliberations or communications. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Such a move would mark another escalation in the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on immigration.

The memo, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent Saturday to U.S. diplomats who work with the countries, said the governments of listed nations were being given 60 days to meet new benchmarks and requirements established by the State Department. It set a deadline of 8 a.m. Wednesday for them to provide an initial action plan for meeting the requirements.

The memo identified varied benchmarks that, in the administration’s estimation, these countries were failing to meet. Some countries had “no competent or cooperative central government authority to produce reliable identity documents or other civil documents,” or they suffered from “widespread government fraud.” Others had large numbers of citizens who overstayed their visas in the United States, the memo said.

Other reasons included the availability of citizenship by monetary investment without a requirement of residency and claims of “antisemitic and anti-American activity in the United States” by people from those countries. The memo also stated that if a country was willing to accept third-country nationals who were removed from the United States or enter a “safe third country” agreement, it could mitigate other concerns.

It was not immediately clear when the proposed travel restrictions would be enforced if the demands were not met.

The countries facing scrutiny in the memo: Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominica; Ethiopia; Egypt; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Ivory Coast; Kyrgyzstan; Liberia; Malawi; Mauritania; Niger; Nigeria; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; South Sudan; Syria; Tanzania; Tonga; Tuvalu; Uganda; Vanuatu; Zambia; and Zimbabwe.

The list represents a significant expansion of a presidential proclamation issued June 4, when the United States fully restricted the entry of individuals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The United States also had partially restricted the entry of travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela under that order.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Sudan Head Coach, Kwesi Appiah

Sudan head coach James Kwesi Appiah has been awarded the Male Coach of the Year at the 2025 Ghana Football Awards ceremony.

Appiah excelled with the Sudan national team by qualifying them for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), surpassing the Black Stars.

Sudan is also in a strong position to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, being one of the top teams in their group.

The former Black Stars coach’s achievements this year have earned him a nomination for the Best Male Coach category in the 2025 CAF Awards.

The Ghana Football Awards 2025 are taking place at the Grand Arena, Conference Center in Accra on June 14, 2025.

The event will also recognize legends and footballers who are making significant contributions to the development of football in the country.

BS/GA

By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah  

Accra, June 14, GNA – Mr James Ebo Whyte, a playwright and motivational speaker, has urged husbands to swiftly adapt to changing societal dynamics and embrace new models of family life to promote peace, joy, and harmony in their homes. 

Mr Whyte, popularly known as Uncle Ebo Whyte, said the traditional model of male-female roles in marriage had evolved, and modern men must learn to relate to their spouses differently from how their fathers related to their mothers. 

Speaking on a local broadcast on Friday ahead of the Father’s Day celebration, Mr Whyte noted that the image of the man as the sole breadwinner was outdated, as more women now held leadership roles in corporate spaces. 

“My father, years ago, was not seen in the kitchen. In fact, if the family saw him there, they would attack my mother and call her a witch,” he said. 

“Today, let’s say your wife is earning more than you do. She’s in a high position. At 4:30 p.m., you’re home already, but she’s just starting a meeting because she’s a head of department reviewing targets. 

“You’re resting at home at 5:00 p.m. and calling her to ask, ‘Where is my food?’ We should learn to understand our roles in the current world,” he said. 

The renowned motivational speaker said many modern women planned meals ahead and stored them, so husbands should be comfortable reheating their meals when necessary. 

“A lot of career women cook for the week, dish it into containers, and store it in the fridge. All you have to do is warm it and eat,” he said. 

“We have to learn these things if we want peace in the house. If your wife brings in more income, ask yourself – because she’s carrying a financial load – how can I support her?” 

Mr Whyte encouraged husbands to participate more actively in the home and revise the notion that financial responsibility lay solely with the man. 

“The idea that every expense should be the man’s burden must change so that marriage becomes a true partnership,” he said. 

Uncle Ebo White observed that while many Ghanaian men were good fathers, they often fell short as husbands. 

“Your mother buys a gift for you and says, ‘Your father asked me to give this to you. Go and thank him.’ You go to thank him and the look on his face tells you he may not know anything about it. But that’s what makes him a good husband,” he added. 

Mr Whyte urged fathers to build strong, open relationships with their children and not be distant figures in the home. 

“If your children need something, why can’t they come to you directly? Why must they go through their mother?” he asked. 

“Let them feel safe and have access to you.” 

He emphasised the need to respect and support wives to sustain the home and encouraged men to repair strained relationships with their spouses. 

Mr Whyte attributed many of the challenges in fatherhood and marriage to societal shortcomings in the upbringing of boys. 

“Girls are raised carefully. Boys are left to find their own way, with the assumption that they will somehow know right from wrong,” he said. 

“When a man and woman are at the altar exchanging vows, the woman knows what she’s doing. The man may only understand what it means to be married five years in – if he’s lucky.” 

He noted that while society interrogated a woman’s readiness for marriage, a man was usually only asked whether he could afford it. 

“This results in the challenge I call the ‘motherisation of fatherhood’,  where wives have to tell their husbands how to be fathers and what their duties are,” Uncle Ebo Whyte said. 

He encouraged fathers to establish early bonds with their children to avoid feelings of irrelevance in the early stages of a child’s life. 

“Before birth, mother and child have already bonded for nine months. After delivery, the father is often just a cheerleader, irrelevant for the first three to six months,” he said. 

“When the baby is hungry, the father feels useless. Many men give up at this stage without realising that while the mother had a head start, they will also get their chance.” 

GNA 

Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe 

Ray Kurzweil, a notable futurist says that “Our technology, our machines are part of our humanity. We create them to extend ourselves and that is what is unique about human beings”, implying that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also an extension of human, created to assist simplify works. 

This quote set the stage for an in-depth discussion on the revolutionary role of AI and automation in bolstering threat intelligence when I had the privilege of joining an esteemed panel at the Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra – Ghana as part of the CISO Summit 2025.   The topic was “AI, Automation and the Future of Threat Intelligence”, and by extension the future of the workplace. 

Among others, the session explored how these tools are reshaping cybersecurity paradigms by bridging the gap between human ingenuity and data-driven precision. 

Less than a century old, artificial intelligence (AI) has already undergone three waves of transformative development. Today it gives humanity the most powerful tools for analyzing complex data, not only to find meaning but to learn without human intervention. Clearly, AI is now acting and thinking like humans (but not yet human). 

Evidently, AI has moved from experimental to essential, and permeating every area of our lives, including threat intelligence and cybersecurity in general. AI and automation are helping us develop the ability to correlate tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that enable quicker identification of threat actors and simulate attack scenarios. Also, aid in developing defense strategies based on potential, current and future threat landscape, and attributing attacks through behavioral analytics and data comparisons, which significantly improves understanding of adversarial methods. 

However, it is critical for the developing world to initiate steps toward domesticating AI by gradually developing our own use cases considering linguistics and peculiar practices. This will facilitate better appreciation and the potential of the tool. We need to simplify, invest and urgently start building capacity at both the individual and corporate levels.  

Some key benefits of AI and automation in threat intelligence include but not limited to: 

• Speed: AI and automation can respond to threats much faster than manual intervention, reducing the window of opportunity for attackers. 
• Efficiency: automated systems can handle repetitive tasks such as patch management, log analysis, and vulnerability scanning without fatigue. 
• Consistency: AI and automation ensure that responses follow a consistent process, reducing human error. 

While speed, efficiency and consistency are desirable, it’s important to understand that AI and automation are not always perfect and can be prone to errors, especially when the data is not trained based on the expected outputs.  As we dive headfirst into this uncharted territory, we need to keep our eyes wide open. It is not just about the potential benefits and drawbacks, but also about how AI is going to continue to mold and reshape the workplace in ways we might not even imagine. 

It is therefore critical to look beyond excitement (sometimes the anxieties) and rather focus on becoming more conversant with the governing rules, ethical issues and the associated legal framework with data and AI. And where there is little or none existing, we must initiate steps towards their development. We must at all time balance safety and morality against speed and innovation. Machines could do a great deal, but what should they do is the question we need to continue addressing? 

Obviously, there is also the thorny issue of whether humanity is under threat, especially with the concerns that AI could lead to significant job displacement across various sectors, impacting individuals and economies. 

What readily comes to mind in response to the above sentiment is the second part of Ray Kurzweil statement “… we create them to extend ourselves and that is what is unique about human beings”. I believe the world will just get better if we nurture and collaborate with machines and technology to solve problems. 

Ultimately, AI will be our thought partner, not a replacement. 

Let’s keep the debate running… cheers. 

The writer is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Prudential Bank where he is leading the Bank’s charge to revolutionize the banking sector through effective technology, new ways of doing things in the tech space as well as pioneering digital transformation.  

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Sudan Head Coach, Kwesi Appiah

Sudan head coach James Kwesi Appiah has been awarded the Male Coach of the Year at the 2025 Ghana Football Awards ceremony.

Appiah excelled with the Sudan national team by qualifying them for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), surpassing the Black Stars.

Sudan is also in a strong position to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, being one of the top teams in their group.

The former Black Stars coach’s achievements this year have earned him a nomination for the Best Male Coach category in the 2025 CAF Awards.

The Ghana Football Awards 2025 are taking place at the Grand Arena, Conference Center in Accra on June 14, 2025.

The event will also recognize legends and footballers who are making significant contributions to the development of football in the country.

BS/GA

By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu 

Big Ada, June 14, GNA — The Ada Traditional Council has launched the 2025 edition of the annual Asafotufiami Festival, marking the 88th celebration of one of Ghana’s most prominent and widely attended cultural events. 

This year’s celebration is scheduled to take place from July 31 to August 8, 2025, on the theme “Peace, Unity and Justice: The Pillars of Our Progress”. 

Nene Agudey Obichere III, Manklalo of the Ada State and Chairman of the Ada Asafotufiami Planning Committee, in a speech delivered on his behalf by Asafoatsengua Osraman Gadugah VI, said the festival reaffirms the enduring values of the people of Ada, shaping their identity and legacy. 

He said these values were not just ideals but living and breathing pillars of Ada’s progress. 

Nene Obichere recounted the historical roots of the Ada people, noting their ancestral lineage through ancient traditions, including links to Israel and migratory journeys across deserts to the unified settlement of Lorlorvor and finally Ada, a land as where “the Volta River meets the sea, and the earth brims with promise.” 

He recalled heroic battles such as the Torjuenya, Adidome and Kantamanso, describing them as moments of courage and unity, which the Asafotufiami Festival commemorates. 

“Asafotufiami honours these sacrifices and reminds us that peace is hard-won, justice must be pursued, and unity across clans and generations is our greatest strength,” Nene Obichere said. 

The Manklalo urged the people of Ada to be ambassadors of peace in their homes, farms and workplaces, advocating for transparency and fairness in both traditional and civic governance. 

“Whether you are Adi, Lomo, Korley, Okumo, Kabu, Agudey or Ofoe; today, we are one: Adali,” he emphasised. 

He extended a warm invitation to friends and relatives from Accra, Nungua, the diaspora, and beyond to participate in the celebration and experience the rich Ada heritage. 

He also called for a collective effort to transform Ada into a premier destination for tourism, modernised salt production, agriculture, innovation, and entrepreneurship. 

“Together, we can build an industrialised, resilient, and prosperous Ada,” he added. 

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Naana Adiki Manyeyo Adi I, President of the Ada Queen Mothers Consortium, highlighted several key activities lined up for the festival. 

These include traditional rites, candlelight processions, the Soobi-Soobi homecoming float, visits to the ancestral forest (Aplaneaye), a grand durbar of chiefs, cultural expos, music concerts, business and youth forums, among others. 

GNA 

Edited by Laudia Sawer/Benjamin Mensah 

Israel overnight on Friday launched strikes targeting the heart of Iran’s nuclear programme.

The attacks, according to various media reports, claimed the life of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Chief, Hossein Salami. A number of civilians, including children are reported to have been killed in the attack.

The United States of America, in a statement from its Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, after the attack distanced itself from the strikes.

“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” it said.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said “Operation Rising Lion” struck Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz, nuclear scientists, and what he called “the heart of Iran’s ballistic missiles programme.”

Six nuclear scientists were killed, Iranian state-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported.

Prior to the attacks, the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Roey Gilad, interacted with journalists at his residence in Accra last Thursday, where he suggested to the government to rethink and re-evaluate its traditional foreign policy of non-alliance, which has been in existence since 1957.

He said that while Ghana’s foreign policy required it not to be aligned with any state to serve its national interest, rethinking such a policy could be healthy for its bilateral relations with other nations.

“Obviously, Ghana’s non-alliance policy needs to serve its interest, but I believe that maybe the policy of non-alliance should be re-think and should be re-evaluated,” he said. 

Reaction

Mr Gilad said, “we do it in Israel day in and day out, we check ourselves, check our foreign policy and every state should check its policy too.

“Again, I humbly say with full respect to the sovereign decision-making process in the foreign affairs of the Foreign Minister here, but I personally think that rethinking or re-evaluating non-alliance policy is something which is healthy for the state and for the bilateral relations,” he said. 

IAE resolution

The ambassador’s call followed Ghana’s decision to abstain from a vote on a resolution adopted during the 1769th Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors on Iran’s non-compliance with its safeguards obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The vote, which took place in Vienna, saw an overwhelming international support of 19 countries voting in favour and three against, with 11 states, including Ghana, abstaining.

Those that voted in favour included the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Germany, France, Korea, Japan, Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Canada, Ecuador, Spain, the Netherlands, Morocco, Ukraine, Italy and Colombia.

Those who voted against the resolution were Russia, China and Burkina Faso, with Ghana, Thailand, Brazil, South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Armenia abstaining.

Reacting to Ghana’s posture, the Israeli Ambassador said Israel was deeply disappointed at Ghana’s decision not to support the international resolution.

“We express publicly, openly and candidly our disappointment,” he said.

He, however, expressed happiness that Israel and Ghana had a healthy ongoing dialogue and “we have political consultations now and then”.

“The consultations this year are going to take place in Jerusalem towards the end of the year.

“This is not going to cast a heavy shadow on the relations, but we cannot ignore it,” he said.

Mr Gilad added that, “I think mature relations such as the relationship between Israel and Ghana can be addressed and iron out any disagreement and this is what we do with Ghana”.

The ambassadors said, “As grown up people, we can address it with the government”.

“We did it in the past and we will keep on doing it in the future,” he said.

Gaza conflict

Describing the conflict situation in Gaza as complicated, he said he would not deny that there was a huge tragedy that impacted both the people in Gaza and Israel.

He recalled that the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, led to the “murder and butchery of 1,200 of our brothers and sisters and others hijacked as hostages”.

Acknowledging that Israel made a major mistake in assuming propping up Hamas, Mr Gilad said, “We appeased Hamas by paying the money and let the leadership of Hamas flourish and their bank accounts get bigger and bigger”.

“But the lesson we learned on October 7, 2023, is that you cannot go to sleep next to a poisonous black mamba and think that the snake’s stomach is full and, therefore, it is not going to attack you.

“This was our major mistake and we are not going to repeat this mistake,” he said.

The ambassador said Israel was committed to exerting pressure on Hamas to release Israeli hostages and, at the same time, put an end to Hamas’s control of Gaza.

In his view, if Israel did not put an end to Hamas, “we will see those attacks against us day in and day out.”

Assuring that Israel cared for the well-being of the innocent people in Gaza, Mr Gilad said the peaceful solution to the conflict in the Middle East lay with Hamas, which needed to release the 56 Israeli hostages, lay down their arms and Gaza disarmed.

“The Hamas leadership needs to leave Gaza just as the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, led by Yasser Arafat, left Beirut in 1982,” he said.

 Accusing Hamas of using the two million civilians in Gaza as human shields, he said fighting Hamas was nearly impossible without causing some collateral damage.

“Criticisms against Israel are unfair and such criticism should be directed at Hamas, which manipulates the world public opinion by inflating casualty numbers in Gaza.

He added that since the beginning of the Israeli military campaign against Hamas, Israel had opened access to humanitarian campaigns to bring food into Gaza.

By Daniel Adu Darko  

Accra, June 14, GNA — The SOL Matured Minds Charity Organization, also known as Spices of Love (SOL), has donated essential supplies to the Asokwa Children’s Hospital in Kumasi, bringing smiles to patients and staff while reinforcing its commitment to supporting vulnerable groups in Ghana.  

The donation forms part of the organisation’s broader mission to restore hope and improve the lives of children, single mothers, widows, persons living with disabilities, and the underprivileged affected by poverty, illness, violence, and natural disasters.  

Items presented included bottled water, liquid soap, diapers and wipes, beverages, biscuits, toiletries, and detergents, among others.  

Mr Stephen Tetteh, Secretary of the organization, said the decision to support the Asokwa Children’s Hospital aligned with the objective of reaching out to children and expanding charitable work beyond the Greater Accra Region.  

“We chose Asokwa Children’s Hospital because one of our objectives is to provide support to children, and we also want to extend our charity to other regions of the country,” he noted.  

The hospital’s administrator, Dr. Osman Yakubu, received the donation on behalf of the facility, expressing heartfelt gratitude for the thoughtful gesture.  

“We are deeply grateful to SOL for choosing our hospital. These items will go a long way in supporting the children and easing the burden on families,” he said.  

President of SOL, Madam Vida Gyawu Dawuda, also used the occasion to thank the hospital for warmly welcoming the team and encouraging individuals and corporate bodies to join in supporting charity causes.  

“Let us all find ways to help those in need. As an organization, we remain committed to continuing our efforts to support the vulnerable across the country,” she assured.  

The donation reflects the values enshrined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in promoting well-being for all and fostering inclusive support for disadvantaged communities.  

GNA  

Edited by Christian Akorlie   

The United States is considering restricting entry to citizens of an additional 36 countries in what would be a significant expansion of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration early this month, according to a State Department memo reviewed by The Washington Post.

Among the new list of countries that could face visa bans or other restrictions are 25 African nations, including significant U.S. partners such as Egypt and Djibouti, plus countries in the Caribbean, Central Asia and several Pacific Island nations.

A State Department spokesperson said the agency would not comment on internal deliberations or communications. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Such a move would mark another escalation in the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on immigration.

The memo, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent Saturday to U.S. diplomats who work with the countries, said the governments of listed nations were being given 60 days to meet new benchmarks and requirements established by the State Department. It set a deadline of 8 a.m. Wednesday for them to provide an initial action plan for meeting the requirements.

The memo identified varied benchmarks that, in the administration’s estimation, these countries were failing to meet. Some countries had “no competent or cooperative central government authority to produce reliable identity documents or other civil documents,” or they suffered from “widespread government fraud.” Others had large numbers of citizens who overstayed their visas in the United States, the memo said.

Other reasons included the availability of citizenship by monetary investment without a requirement of residency and claims of “antisemitic and anti-American activity in the United States” by people from those countries. The memo also stated that if a country was willing to accept third-country nationals who were removed from the United States or enter a “safe third country” agreement, it could mitigate other concerns.

It was not immediately clear when the proposed travel restrictions would be enforced if the demands were not met.

The countries facing scrutiny in the memo: Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominica; Ethiopia; Egypt; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Ivory Coast; Kyrgyzstan; Liberia; Malawi; Mauritania; Niger; Nigeria; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; South Sudan; Syria; Tanzania; Tonga; Tuvalu; Uganda; Vanuatu; Zambia; and Zimbabwe.

The list represents a significant expansion of a presidential proclamation issued June 4, when the United States fully restricted the entry of individuals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The United States also had partially restricted the entry of travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela under that order.

SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST

Black Stars midfielder Thomas Partey has come to the defense of international teammate Mohammed Kudus following what many have called an underwhelming season at West Ham United.

Kudus, who made 35 appearances last season, managed just five goals—well below the 14 he netted during his impressive debut campaign. However, Partey believes the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

“People are quick to judge based on goals alone,” Partey said. “Yes, the goals may have dropped off, but if you’re talking about quality, Kudus hasn’t had a bad year at all.”

“He remains one of the most talented players we have in Ghana. He’s our star boy, and we all know what he’s capable of.”

Kudus has been attracting interest from some to clubs, with Chelsea and Manchester United said to be in the hunt for the Ghanaian’s services.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

The Saturday, June 14, 2025, edition of UTV’s United Showbiz programme is live with Empress Gifty discharging her duties as sit-in host.

This edition of the entertainment show is live with panellists discussing the major entertainment issues of the week.

MC Yaa Yeboah, Ziga, Amanda Jessih and Ola Michael are billed as pundits for the show.

Ama K Abebrese and Bullgod are also on the bill to bring some nuance to the conversations about the respective issues.

Watch the show below:

The government has indefinitely suspended the implementation of the GH₵1 levy on every litre of petrol and diesel, originally scheduled to take effect on Monday, June 16, 2025.

Spokesperson and Head of Communications for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, Richmond Rockson, Esq., announced the decision in a post on Saturday, June 14.

“The implementation date for the Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1141), which would have taken effect from Monday, 16th of June 2025, has been postponed after consultations with stakeholders. A new effective date will be communicated in due course,” Mr Rockson wrote.

This announcement comes after the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) also issued a directive postponing the operationalisation of the levy.

The GRA, in a public notice on June 13, noted that a new implementation date will be announced later, citing the need for further technical and operational readiness.

The Energy Sector Recovery Levy, introduced through recent amendments to the Energy Sector Levies Act, was expected to generate GH₵5.7 billion annually to help reduce Ghana’s over $3 billion energy sector debt and ensure fuel supply for power generation.

However, it had drawn criticism from various groups, including transport unions and civil society organisations, over its potential impact on consumers already grappling with rising living costs.

Stakeholders now await further direction from the Ministry of Finance and Energy on when the levy will officially take effect.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Featured

Graphic.com.gh

Sports News

Jun – 14 – 2025 , 20:53

1 minute read