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In the hot seat with Minister Adams

Mr Kofi Adams

Coming events are said to cast their shadows before them.

This age-long axiom is a suggestion of some initial effects indicating the nature of an event to be felt before it happens.

Some of these shadows can be pictured looking at the posture of the Minister of Sports and Recreation (MoRS), Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, less than a month in office.

Although he appear new to the system, his ideas or ways he intend to tackle issues in the sector could be one that could make or unmake him.

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One major observation is his doggedness to strengthen the National Sports Authority (NSA), the supposed biggest agency under the Ministry but appears often overshadowed when it comes to football.

Ahead of a much sought after engagement with the leadership of the FA, Minister Adams has hinted of a directive to process all national teams’ events through the NSA.

That would obviously mark a shift from the previous arrangement where the FA was granted direct access to the Ministry and the NSA is only involved regarding the preparation of grounds for matches.

As the technical wing of the Sports Ministry, one cannot fault Minister Adams and as he explained in an interview in the course of the week, “it is the law at work, I am not saying that.”

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What this mean is that the NSA would be handed responsibilities way beyond those that they have performed over the years. This will surely bring to the fore their actual technical capabilities.

The announcement of the cancelation of first class travel arrangement for the various national teams, especially the Black Stars would be another move which implementation would be closely monitored.

Again, if I heard right, Minister Adams also called for a review of the selection of centres to host Ghana Premier League (GPL) matches in a bid to curb hooliganism in the game.

In his view, if only eight centres met the criteria, then matches should be played only on those venues and clubs be compelled to choose some of these venues as home grounds.

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That is another tough measure which implementation could be problematic because at the lower divisions, there are also cases of hooliganism but centres are few.

Minister Adams is also concerned about having value for money in the provision of infrastructure for sports events.

That will lead to an initiative where MoSR will issue licenses’ to those contracted to provide such services.

Considering the number of astro turf pitches across the country with a chunk of them not meeting the required standard to host GPL matches, Minister Adams call falls in the right place.

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Some of these astro turfs constructed with the tax payers’ money are just pleasing to the eye but cannot serve the purpose for its construction.

In issuing those licenses, turfs at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence at Prampram, at the defunct Gomoa Fetteh Feyenoord and the WAFA pitch at Sogakope should be the yardstick.

Other issues on initiatives to get the corporate sector involved in sports, ridding it of corruption, running it like business, introducing some of the defunct events that served as hunting grounds for talents for the various sports discipline are welcoming.

All of these suggest that there are interesting times ahead in the sports sector which Minister Adams must be firm and fair in implementing them.

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For the true lovers of sports development and promotion and not their selfish interest, they must remember Minister Adams in prayers or whichever religion they practice for wisdom and guidance.

As a Christian himself, Minister Adams should continually pray from Psalm 91:5-8 which reads “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.”

On that note, I welcome Minister Adams to the hot seat as Sports and Recreation Minister.

By Andrew Nortey

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 Heritage Month Ghana trends

From the stables of GTV, the Morning Show team of George Sappor, Thelma Tackie (left) and Clara Mlano (right) added a touch of royalty to the Heritage Month observation with the trio beautifully draped in the rich Kent
From the stables of GTV, the Morning Show team of George Sappor, Thelma Tackie (left) and Clara Mlano (right) added a touch of royalty to the Heritage Month observation with the trio beautifully draped in the rich Kent

Since the institution of the Heri­tage Month celebration in Ghana, it has offered citizens opportuni­ties of a lifetime to learn about their cultures and lifestyles.

Ghana’s version is observed in the month of March, coinciding with the country’s Independence Day celebra­tions on March 6.

Heritage Month features festivals, food fairs, arts, crafts, and music events to highlight the economic and social value of preserving national heritage.

Though a brainchild of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the celebra­tion has been driven to greater heights by local media with the organisation of several events to create the needed euphoria.

Among the events are the Heritage Caravan and Back To Your Village Food Bazaar pow­ered by Accra-based Citi FM and Citi TV, Wear Ghana Festival and the Gɔbɛ festival powered by 3News.

The Heritage Caravan is a road trip which takes patrons across more than half of Ghana’s regions to offer a distinctive road trip that allows participants to explore the various re­gions of Ghana, providing an up-close encounter with the country’s histori­cal and cultural heritage.

In addition to these roles played by the media, news anchors and other presenters appear on screens immac­ulately garbed in locally made outfits, bringing out the beauty of our tradi­tions.

Today, The Spectator news­paper selected a few of the media personalities that are working to give the cel­ebration a global dimension to project the country.  

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 By Andrew Nortey

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 MoMo vendor 24 murdered at Kwadaso

Mobile money shop
Mobile money shop

 A disturbing crime has shaken the Kwadaso Onion market communi­ty in Kumasi, leaving family and friends grieving the loss of a young life.

Identified only as Junior, a 24-year-old mobile money vendor, was found murdered in his room on Saturday, March 8, 2025.

According to eyewitnesses, Junior had returned home the previous day with a substantial amount of money, over Gh¢20,000.

It was suspected that the killers might have been motivated by the large sum of money in Junior’s posses­sion.

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A police source that confirmed this to The Spectator, said investigation has been launched into Junior’s mur­der, but so far, no arrests have been made.

The Kwadaso community is reeling in shock, calling for justice and an end to the atrocity that has claimed the life of a young and promising individ­ual.

Junior, is believed to be a native of Ejisu Onwe, and was known to his col­leagues and friends as a hardworking and diligent individual who worked at the Kumasi Race Course.

His tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the risks and challenges mobile money vendors faced.

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The incident comes barely a month after Patricia Nimako, a 27-year-old Mobile Money (MoMo) vendor, was shot and killed at Krofrom, Kumasi in the Ashanti region by an unknown assail­ants.

The suspected armed robbers fled with the deceased cell phones and an amount of GH¢10,000 on Thursday, February 13, at approximately 3:00 p.m.

The two armed robbers reportedly stormed the kiosk where the deceased was operating and without any provo­cation shot her dead.

There has not been any arrest yet by the police.

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 From Kingsley E. Hope , Kumasi

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