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George Oppong Weah congratulates Victor Osimhen
The President of the Republic of Liberia, George Oppong Weah has congratulated, Napoli star and Nigerian International, Victor Osimhen.
On Thursday, May 4, 2023, Osimhen made history for himself, Napoli FC, and Nigeria when he scored the all-important goal that won his team the 2022/2023 Italian Scudetto trophy in their 1-1 draw away with Udinese.
Osimhen’s second-half goal was all that the club needed to settle scores with the black and white jersey team at Udine and secure the Scudetto for the season with five matches still to play.
Osimhen scored 22 Serie A league goals and made four assists in 27 games to lead Napoli to their first Scudetto in the 21st century.
Neapolitans last lifted the coveted trophy 33 years ago, when the late Diego Armando Maradona led the Azure colour army to subdue the likes of AC Milan, Juventus, Roma, and Internationale Milan, among others to lift the trophy.
George Oppong who was three-time African Footballer Of The Year wrote on Facebook:
Congratulatory Message To Victor Osimhen:
My heartfelt congratulations to you, Victor Osimhen! I am very glad that you have accomplished a major milestone in your football career, after scoring your 47th goal in the Italian Serie A league.
The records show that with this goal, which you netted on Sunday, May 7, 2023 when your team Napoli went against Fiorentina, effectively makes you the African with the highest scoring record in the Italian Serie A league – surpassing my own account of 46 goals.
I am so proud of your exploits and congratulate you on this remarkable achievement which is a result of your hard work, dedication and tenacity. I am also pleased with your kind words of honor in tribute to me upon reaching such a giant milestone.
However, I want to admonish you not be contented. There are many more of my records for you to break. I wish you go on to achieve greater success.
I watched your goal against Udinese when your 52nd -minute header won the Scudetto for Napoli. Your movement, your passion, your determination and hunger brought back many memories to me. I wait for your 100th Goal in all competitions in Italy so that you can celebrate (but don’t remove your shirt like I did or you will get a Yellow Card) 😀
You have won one Scudetto. Great! When I won my first Scudetto with Milan, I said to myself, why one, why not two? I went on to win another Scudetto with Milan. I went on to win the Ballon D’or. So why not two or more for you Victor? The sky is your limit. With your dedication, commitment, humility, hard work, you can conquer the World. Africa needs another World Best. Africa needs another European Best. You Victor, can deliver that for us.
The records that I set were meant not as a challenge, but as a motivation to you and other African Players. We have the best of talents. You have to remain humble, tenacious and focused. Don’t be distracted.
There are many great African players in European leagues. They are already up against the hurdles of playing against many odds in leagues and stadiums so far away from home which present challenges for them; so to beat the odds and climb to the top is worth our commendation.
May you continue to surge forward. My prayers are with you. My blessings are also with you. I am rooting for you Victor!
H.E. George Manneh Weah
LEGEND
President of the Republic of Liberia
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FA President, Vice-President, football family pays last respect to late Kotoko fan Nana Pooley
President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku led a delegation from the Ghana Football Association and the football fraternity to mourn with Asante Kotoko and pay last respect at the funeral of devoted fan, Yaw Frimpong, better known as ‘Nana Pooley’, on Thursday March 6, 2025, in Kumasi.
The funeral, held at the Heroes park, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi saw a strong representation from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and key members of the football fraternity.
President Okraku and Vice-President Mark Addo attended the funeral alongside key football industry players.
The President, was joined by his team of Executive Council members, Regional Football Association Chairmen, Club Executives and officials from the GFA to show support and solidarity to Asante Kotoko and bid farewell to the passionate fan.
The late Nana Pooley, who passed away painfully last month, was interred at Ahafo Kukuom Royal Mausoleum on Thursday March 6, 2025.
The final funeral rites attracted football administrators, supporters and enthusiasts from across the country, as the fraternity celebrated the life of a true loyal fan of the Porcupine Warriors in particular, and Ghana football in general.
Nana Pooley, known for his unwavering support and dedication to Asante Kotoko, was highly regarded by the club and its supporters.
His funeral drew a significant crowd, as football officials, fans, and well-wishers gathered to honor the memory of the passionate fan who played an important role in fostering the vibrant fan culture of Asante Kotoko.
This gathering reflects the unity and shared respect in Ghana football, as the football family stood with Asante Kotoko during this difficult time.
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NHIA set to boost its cybersecurity and IT Infrastructure
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), in partnership with a leading private cybersecurity solutions provider in Ghana, CyberHawk Limited, is advancing the Authority’s digital infrastructure to ensure seamless operations.
This is to safeguard the Authority’s digital technologies and maintain the trust of active members of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
In this context, the NHIA Management Information System (MIS) Directorate in the Head Office, on February 11, 2024, launched a three-day brainstorming session on the organization’s cybersecurity enhancement agenda.
The MIS Directorate Ag. Director, Mr. Daniel Blankson explained that the collaborative meeting aimed to scrutinize the NHIA’s Information Technology architecture, identifying potential risks and gapsto enhance its cybersecurity posture.
“By leveraging CyberHawk Limited’s expertise, the NHIA seeks to fortify its defenses against cyber threats, protecting sensitive information and maintaining the trust of its members.”
Mr. Blankson applauded the synergy between the two organizations and underscored the Authority’s commitment to embracing cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to drive its mission forward.
The Head of Information Security and Standards Unit, in the MIS Directorate, Mr. Ebenezer Hooper, highlighted the Authority’s significant milestone on the digital transformation journey.
According to him, the NHIA is actively engaged in fully adopting and implementing modern digital systems to improve its operations.
He said, “The three-day brainstorming meeting will culminate in the development of a robust IT infrastructure, as well as strategic plans to translate security implementations into tangible IT cost savings for the organization.”
“There is the need to form a steering committee or IT advisory committee, operated under the Board, so that they can pay more attention in protecting the huge IT investment while ensuring cyber security-related policies are well protected,” he added.
The Project Manager of CyberHawk Limited, Mr. Chetan Narayana Murthy, lauded the collaboration and anticipated that it would empower the NHIA to implement comprehensive cybersecurity measures.
According to him, “This is a huge project that will greatly benefit the NHIA by implementing robust cybersecurity measures, safeguarding their systems, and ultimately protecting the sensitive information of NHIA members and healthcare providers.”
A Senior Manager of IT infrastructure, Mr. David Asare Addo, and his colleague, a Senior Manager of Applications, Mr. Enock Afanyi, with the MIS Directorate, gave an overview of the NHIA’s current technological landscape.
Present at the meeting were representatives from the Claims, Membership and Regional Operations (MRO), Research, Policy, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RPME), Corporate Affairs, the Audit, Administration, and Human Resource Directorates.
Story By : Vivian Arthur
