News
Sports must thrive in 2025
Failures on the sports front in 2024 could force fans to be apathetic in the New Year in order to avoid the disappointments they endured.
There were discontents all over as Ghana failed to make an impact at global events like the Paris Olympic Games, athletics championships, boxing championships and qualifiers and many others.
What may trigger some interest could be the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers set to continue this year.
The FIFA World Cup has a strong appeal capable of turning apathy into a strong feeling and sensitivity to possibly bring the fans back to support the Black Stars bid to qualify.
But in doing so, the performances of the Black Stars have always come to hunt their followers and it remains one thing Coach Otto Addo and his men must resolve to earn the trust of Ghanaians.
The Black Stars occupy the second spot in Group I of the African qualifying for the World Cup behind Comoros on the same points but on inferior goal aggregate.
Against Chad, Central African Republic (CAR), Mali, Madagascar and Comoros, Ghana face a stern battle for the sole ticket allotted the group.
That would definitely not be an easy task but it is also not a challenge above the Stars. When the right players, those committed and dedicated to the Ghana course are selected, Ghana can make it.
The lenses would also be on other sports disciplines that held so much promise but failed to deliver.
Amateur boxing would be one that would attract a lot of attention after failing to excel at the various championships and qualifiers, resulting in the ‘no-show’ of the Black Bombers at the Paris Olympics Games.
Professional boxing, managed by the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) supervised a number of entertaining bouts with a number of boxers including John Laryea showing so much promise as world champions.
The GBA, however, was always in the spotlight with legal battles with its stakeholders over enforcement of its own rules.
The controversies with promotions and inadequate security at its fight nights have not made events safe for a lot more patrons although it attracted some new promoters in the year under review.
The year 2025 should offer its President, Abraham Kotey Neequaye, his board and major stakeholders the platform to end the constant fights, respect the rules and work together to produce new world champions and eventually ensure some sanity in the sport.
Athletics gave a good account of themselves but failed at the biggest stage – Olympic Games with the relay teams showing that they were yet to recover from their baton exchange nightmare.
Bawa Fuseini, Charles Osei Asibey, Philipina Frimpong and the other managers of athletics in Ghana must therefore, strive to take the spot a notch higher despite the challenges.
Aside the aforementioned disciplines, there are over 40 disciplines that clearly did their very best to make an impact but failed due to many challenges including finance. There were those who just added to the numbers.
But in the year 2025, every federation must aim to make a difference on the sports scene for the sector to thrive.
News
NTC starts New Year with thanksgiving service
Reverend praying for management
The New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers on Wednesday held a thanksgiving service to kick-start its operations for the year.
Speaking on the theme ‘The essence of thanksgiving,’ Reverend Joshua Samson Aduamah, Head of the Accra North and South Association of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), urged staff to continue to give thanks to God because he is good and his mercies endure forever.
“God is great because He fights battles we don’t see. We sleep and believe it’s a template for us to wake up,” he said.
Citing Psalm 123:1-4, he explained that “we must emulate the lifestyle of David and the fact that he adores God in every situation.”
The Editor of the Spectator and Acting Managing Director of the Corporation, Mrs Georgina Naa-Maku Quaittoo, thanked staff for their support and immense contribution over the years despite the challenges and urged them to eschew all forms of laziness and adopt professionalism and positive working habits.
According to her, in order to yield positive results, staff must rededicate themselves to responsibilities to achieve greater things.
“There are brighter days ahead; with resilience and hard work we would sail through.”
She further called on government to support the corporation to work to improve its fortunes.
Management and staff of the corporation were led in praises and worship by Mrs Chystable Aduamah, wife of the preacher.
In attendance were the Acting Editor of The Ghanaian Times, Alhaji Abdul Rahman, Acting Marketing Manager, Mr Ofori Addo among others.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
News
Rise of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman A beacon of hope for women
Founder and General Overseer of Kingspride Word Chapel International, Rev. Dr Sam Ayi Ankrah has described the ascension of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang to the office of a vice president as a significant recognition and affirmation of women’s capabilities and roles of leadership in society.
According to him, women are a repository of lofty capabilities which remained insufficiently tapped for the benefit of society.
At a consecration service of a 66-year old Joyce Adomako into the office of ‘The Church Mother’ on Sunday, Rev. Dr Ankrah stated that the investiture of the first female vice president highlighted the capabilities and acceptance of women as equals in leadership, challenging the traditional patriarchal norms in the political space.
In a sermon titled: ‘Considering me worthy and appointing me to serve,’ he said that the investiture has also set the tone for greater representation of women in decision-making and leadership at all levels.
He also indicated stated that, the honour reflected a commitment to inclusivity, signaled progress toward gender equity in the political spaces and disproved the beliefs that prohibited women from holding higher leadership positions.
He further stated that her new position symbolised a significant and historic shift in political leadership paradigms, emphasising the promotion of equality and the broader role of women in community building.
That, he advised, the vice president to inspire broader societal change by demonstrating the importance of breaking barriers to leadership for women.
Rev. Dr Ankrah then urged Ms Adomako to use her vast experience and deep knowledge and understanding of life to offer guidance and counseling to the congregation to inspire positivity towards unearthing their abilities for the greater benefit of their communities.
Ms Adomako for her part, also advised women, particularly young women to avail themselves for the tutelage of older generation and take inspiration from the position of the current vice president and other women trailblasers to guide their pursuits.
By Ken Afedzi
