Hot!
Chris Hughton, the chosen man! AT long last, Ghana has a new ‘sweat merchant.’ It was long predicted.
• Hughton – Can he fly the Stars back to glory?
On Sunday night, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) announced the appointment of Chris Hughton as chief coach of the Black Stars with majority of Ghanaians applauding the decision.
The FA insisted that Hughton’s engagement was in line with its vision to continue with the project of building a formidable squad that started with Otto Addo (his predecessor) in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament.
It was only wise dashing for someone who has been with the team and understands the system better.
That many Ghanaians – both home and abroad, actively took to social media to welcome the 64-year-old coach to the hot seat, copiously proved the backing for him.
On the reverse, others think Hughton – who until his appointment, was the Technical Advisor of the Black Stars, could be used by the leadership of the FA for their own ‘selfish’ interests. This assertion has also been contested vigorously by a section of the public, insisting that the former Birmingham City, Norwich City and Brighton and Hove Albion handler can be his own man.
It must be hammered home that Hughton has been with the Stars for the past 12 months and was with the team when it crashed out in the group stage of the Qatar tournament. Remarkably, though, the newly-appointed handler would be assisted by former Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Holland midfielder George Boateng as well as Mas-Ud Didi Dramani – both of whom the FA has decided to maintain. The three coaches were part of the technical team for the World Cup in Qatar.
Hughton’s immediate task is to lead the Stars to face Angola in a March double-header in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifications in Cape Coast and Luanda respectively. The Stars share top spot of Group E with Angola on four points from two games, three above the Central African Republic and Madagascar.
Having had the opportunity of being with the Black Stars briefly, Houghton should have an unmistakably fair impression about the intricacies in building a formidably winsome national team.
He had maintained in various interviews that the Ghana team was loaded with a stream talents which could be harnessed to bring a lot of glory to the country.
We have heard in many areas some of his brilliant pieces of advice were not taken by his predecessor. Well, today, he is now in charge and Ghanaians would be thrilled to see the ‘special’ thing he is bringing on board.
As many have stated, he has to be his own man and be prepared to take the bold decision of resigning at a point, if he thinks he is being used and tossed like a puppeteer on a string.
Truth is that Hughton, son of an Irish mum and Ghanaian dad, has such impressive credentials and experience at the highest level of club football, and people would be eager to see how best he translates that rich reservoir of experience into the national team.
One thing is sure: many people would not have the patience to wait. For them, he must hit the ground running and deliver immediately when the Stars take on Angola in their first game at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium in March.
The immediate task, doubtless, is qualifying Ghana for the AFCON next year in Cote d’Ivoire and clinching it in grand style, after 41 years in the doldrums.
What we ought to do now is offer Hughton all the needed backing. He needs it now. If we have to criticise him, why not; but it must be done constructively.
By John Vigah
Hot!
GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank
A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.
The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.
The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.
Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.
The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.
Hot!
Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.
He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.
“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.
He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.
He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.
“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
