Accra Hearts of Oak opened week 23 with an impressive display as they edged Young Apostles 2-0 at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium on Saturday, March 8, 2025.

Micheal Awuah Mensah opened the scoring for the Phobians in the 43rd minute of the first half, while an own goal from Young Apostles’ Rahman Abdul early in the second half ensured victory for the Phobians.

The win ensured the Phobians maintained their seven-game unbeaten run as they are third on the league table with 36 points.

Asante Kotoko returned to winning ways as they safely dispatched Legon Cities 2-0 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Sunday.

Patrick Aseidu and Kwame Poku were on target for the Porcupine Warriors, who stretched their unbeaten home run to five in the league.

With the win, the Porcupine Warriors have 37 points and are now joint top of the Premier League together with Bibiani Gold Stars, who also won their fixture game against Nations FC.

Accra Lions continued the struggles in the league as they succumbed to a 3-1 defeat against Berekum Chelsea at the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park.

Stephen Amankona scored a hat trick to secure all three points for Berekum Chelsea, who stayed mid-table with 28 points.

Medema SC also recorded an impressive 3-1 win over Bechem United at the TNA Stadium in Tarkwa.

Bernadinho Tetteh, Micheal Sarpong, and Kelvin Nkrumah all scored for the ‘Mauve and Yellow,’ who moved into the top four.

Full-time scores:

Asante Kotoko 2-0 Legon Cities

Karela Utd 1-1 Basake Holy Stars

Medeama SC 3-1 Bechem Utd

Goldstars 1-0 Nations FC

Vision FC 1-1 Heart of Lions

Berekum Chelsea 3-1 Accra Lions

Dreams FC 0-0 Aduana FC

Hearts of Oak 2-0 Young Apostles

Source: GNA 

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The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has supported President John Dramani Mahama’s call for transparency on the budgets of various national teams.

In his State of the Nation (SONA) address last Thursday, President John Dramani Mahama emphasised the need for national team budgets to be made public.  

According to President Mahama, the GFA must be accountable to the taxpayers and that budgets will not be shrouded in secrecy.

The GFA has acknowledged and supported calls made by President Mahama in relation to the budgeting and expenditure related to the Black Stars and all national teams.

“Indeed, as part of our commitment to transparency, the GFA has always provided the Ministry responsible for Sports with the first draft budget for the national teams.

“Beyond this, everything to do with the budgeting and expenditure related to the Black Stars sits with the Ministry. For emphasis, payments made in relation to the Black Stars are exclusively handled by the Ministry.

“We support the President’s call for the Ministry to deal transparently with the public regarding these matters and will willingly support the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to achieve this goal.

The GFA also responded to President Mahama’s statement about the Black Stars being a pale shadow of their former glory.

“We acknowledge the President’s observation, during his presentation of the State of the Nation address, that the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the AFCON is not reflective of the country’s football talent.

“Indeed, it is some comfort that Ghana sits at joint top of our World Cup qualifying group at the moment.

“It is for this reason that the Executive Council has taken some steps to strengthen the Management and Technical team of the Stars. We expect these interventions to reflect in our upcoming World Cup qualifiers in March and further on in the year,” the statement said.

The GFA also expressed its readiness to work with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to actualise the dreams and aspirations of all Ghanaians.

Source: GNA

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President John Dramani Mahama has emphasised the need for transparency on money spent on various Ghanaian national teams and other sporting associations.

President Mahama said this during his State of Nations Address (SONA) to Parliament on Thursday, February 27, 2025.

According to President, the taxpayers ought to know what goes into the expenditure on the national teams, especially the Black Stars.

He also tasked Mr. Kofi Adams, the Minister for Sports and Recreation, to hold the Ghana Football Association (GFA) accountable in respect to their financial dealings.

“Next month, the senior national team, the Black Stars, now a pale shadow of its former glory, will now play two World Cup qualifying matches.

“I have instructed my Office and the Minister to hold the GFA accountable to the people of Ghana as we prepare for these games, especially regarding the budget the GFA has presented for the two matches.

“There should be no secrecy in how much the government spends on the national teams. The budget presented by the GFA and the other sports associations must be known by the public.

“After all, it is the taxpayer’s money that is used to fund these activities. The reduction in government expenditure and waste reduction applies to all sectors of the economy, including the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.

President Mahama also indicated the establishment of a Schools Sports Authority, which would organise structured school competitions to identify talent essential for nurturing talent in the future.

He also stated that the government was committed to the reimbursement of the national sports stadium, including the completion of various national youth resources centres across the country.

Source: GNA

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The Ghana Wheelchair Tennis (GWT) Team, on Monday received a rousing welcome at the Kotoka International Airport when they arrived from Morocco.

The team won bronze at the 2025 International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Clubs (WTC) Africa qualifiers tournament.

They were met on arrival by Dr. Henry Larbi, the General Secretary of the National Paralympic Committee, lovers of wheelchair tennis, the media and other members from the para sporting fraternity.

Dr. Henry Larbi was overwhelmed with the reception given to the athletes and commended the team for raising the flag of Ghana high.

He said, “we had a good preparation this year as compare to last year, we spent two weeks residential training camping in Volta Region at the Sonrise Senior High School (SHS) and I want to thank Mr. Joseph Dzameshie for hosting us.”

“We also had some financial contribution from individuals and Donewell Insurance Company.

“We were supposed to go with four players and one coach, due to financial challenges we had to send only two players and a coach, I want to thank our female athletes for the sacrifice.”

He also thanked Ghana’s Ambassador to Morocco Mrs. Charity Gbedaw, for visiting the team at the training session.

He said, “the Ghana Ambassador visited the team during training, motivated them and provided them with some support like feeding and funds.”

He said the team also got the opportunity to meet some government officials who were in Morocco for conferences and that also motivated them.

He said the GWT in collaboration with the Ghana Tennis Federation had formed a compressive five-member committee to develop young talent across the country.

He said, “Sunrise SHS has promised to give scholarship to a wheelchair tennis player and will also support them in training because the school has a tennis court.”

He said that the federation would also give opportunities for students to apply for a college in the United States.

Bernard Yawson, one of the players also thanked the federation and Ghanaians for the support.

He said, “we thank God for the safe trip and the efforts made by our leaders, but we need proper wheelchair to be able to compete with others. For instance, Morocco, South Africa, Egypt uses a lightweight chair with an anti-tip caster wheel in the back, but we use metal ones which is heavy.

“We call on, the government, individuals. Cooperate entities for financial support and equipment for our training.”

Source: GNA

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The National Sports College (NSC) and the National Sports Authority are set to introduce a Certificate Course in Sports Psychology.

This according to them will help sportsmen and women improve their performance, mental health, and well-being while pursuing their career.

The course, scheduled for March 23 to 26,2025 at the Accra Sports Stadium will attract resource persons from Germany and the University of Education, Winneba.

Mr. Bawah Fuseini, Director, NSC, speaking in an interview with the GNA Sports said this was a new phase the college was looking to train athletes, coaches and other key players in the field of sports psychology.

He said psychology, regarded as a branch of science, had been neglected in Ghana’s sporting fraternity hence the need to rekindle a strong sense of self-belief and confidence among these individuals.

“We are trying to do this one in Accra and the next one will be done at Winneba. This is a new course we are introducing and so far, the reception has been massive.

Sports personalities, coaches, officials and athletes are eligible to take part because these people are mostly traumatized either by not being able to win medals or probably injuries could affect their career,” he said.

The Director revealed that Dr. Elvis Hagan Junior from Germany and Dr. Medina of the University of Education would be the lead facilitators for the course.

Established in 1984, the National Sports College is an agency under the Ministry of Sports and Recreation that oversees training and re-training technical human resources in the sports industry.

Source: GNA

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The police have arrested four more suspects in connection with the gruesome murder of Francis Frimpong, a fervent supporter of the Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club.

The suspects are Isaac Ofosu, Augustine Yeboah, Elizabeth Ntiriwaa, also known as “Akosua Black Chinese” and another female suspect (name withheld).

The deceased was stabbed to death on Sunday February 2, 2025 when the Nsoatreman FC hosted the Kumasi Asante Kotoko FC during a  Premier League match at the Nsoatre Professor Amoah Koromansah II stadium.

A police source, who confirmed the arrest told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the suspects were arraigned before a Circuit Court on Friday.

However, the court ordered the police to keep them in custody until Monday February 10, 2025.

So far, the police had arrested seven suspects in connection with the crime.

Suspects Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Owner of the Nsotareman FC, and the former Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Joseph Kyeremeh and Agyemang Duah Owusu had since been charged by the Sunyani District Court ‘B’.

In their first appearance, the court presided over by Eric Daning granted Baffour-Awuah and Kyeremeh GH¢500,000 bail each with three sureties for “abetment to commit crime, to wit murder” under Sections 20(1) and 46 of the Criminal Offenses Act 1960 (Act 29).

Suspect Owusu, a police inspector, was, however, charged with murder and remanded into police custody. They will come back to court on Monday February 17, 2025.

Source: GNA

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The police have arrested one more suspect, Elizabeth Akosua Ntiriwaa, also known as “Akosua Black Chinese” over the Nsoatreman FC and Kumasi Asante Kotoko FC football match violent disturbances on Sunday.

This latest arrest brings the total number of suspects in custody to six.

A statement from the police said Ntiriwaa was currently assisting with investigations.

The police said intelligence-led operations and investigations were ongoing to apprehend all individuals involved and ensure that justice was served.

Source: GNA

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District Court “B” in Sunyani, has imposed restrictions on the movements of Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the former Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani West Constituency.

As part of his bail conditions, Baffour Awuah also the owner and financier of the Nsoatreman Football Club (FC) cannot leave or travel outside the Sunyani Municipality without judicial approval.

The court presided by Eric Daning gave the order when the former minister, 58 years, and other two suspects Agyemang Duah Owusu, his bodyguard, and Joseph Kyeremeh appeared before it on Tuesday.

They were in the court for their alleged involvement in the tragic murder of Francis Frimpong, an ardent supporter of the Kumasi Asante Kotoko FC during a violent disturbance that occurred on Sunday February 2, 2025 resulting in the death of the deceased.

The incident happened on Sunday when the Nsoatreman FC hosted the Kumasi Asante Kotoko FC at the match 19 of the Ghana Premier League at their home grounds at the Nsoatre Professor Amoah Koromansah II stadium.

When the case was heard, the court charged suspects Baffour-Awuah and Kyeremeh with “abetment to commit crime, to wit murder” under Sections 20(1) and 46 of the Criminal Offenses Act 1960 (Act 29).

They were granted GH¢500,000 bail each, with one surety to be justified and however Baffour-Awuah was ordered to submit his passport to the court registry for 14 days.

The court charged and remanded Owusu in police custody for murder, and they will re-appear till Monday February 17, 2025.

Prosecuting, Inspector Alexander Oppong told the court that the suspects were involved in the murder of the deceased, and prayed the court to remand all of them in custody to assist investigations.

He told the court that a search conducted in the room of suspect Owusu led to the retrieval of two dresses with suspected blood stains and an MP 23 pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition.

But, the counsel, Mr Moses Obah prayed the court to grant his clients bail, arguing that they were prominent personalities and would cooperate with police investigations.

Source: GNA

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The Sunyani District Court ‘B’ presided over by Mr Eric Daning on Tuesday granted GH¢500,000 bail and three sureties each to suspects Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, 58, the former Employment and Labour Relations Minister and Joseph Kyeremeh, 32 years. 

One of the sureties of each of the suspects was to be justified. 

Additionally, the court asked suspects to submit their passports to the registry until further notice and ordered them to seek permission before traveling outside of the Sunyani municipality.  

They are also expected to report to the police every day till they appear before the court on February 17, 2025. 

Suspects Baffour-Awuah, the owner and financier of the Nsoatreman Football Club, Kyeremeh and another suspect Agyemang Duah, a police inspector, were in court in connection with the murder of one Francis Frimpong, a supporter of the Kumasi Asante Kotoko FC. 

Baffour-Awuah and Kyeremeh were charged with “abetment to commit crime, to wit murder” under Sections 20(1) and 46 of the Criminal Offenses Act 1960 (Act 29). 

The court, however, charged Duah with murder, and remanded him into police custody. 

Prosecuting, Inspector Alexander Oppong told the court that the suspects were involved in the murder of Francis Frimpong and prayed the court to remand all of them in custody to assist investigations. 

He told the court that a search conducted in the room of suspect Owusu led to the retrieval of two dresses with suspected blood stains and an MP 23 pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition. 

But, the counsel, Mr Moses Obah prayed the court to grant his clients bail, arguing that they were prominent personalities and would cooperate with police investigations. 

The police arrested the suspects in connection with the violent disturbances that occurred on Sunday February 2, 2025, during the match 19 of the Ghana Premier League between the Nsoatreman FC and Kumasi Asante Kotoko FC at the Nsoatre Professor Amoah Koromansah II stadium which resulted into the death of the individual.

Source: GNA 

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The Bono Regional Police Command has arrested Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Chief Executive Officer of the Nsoatreman Football Club (FC) in connection with the murder of the supporter of the Kumasi Asante Kotoko FC. 

A reliable police source at the regional command who confirmed the arrest told the GNA that the police arrested Mr Baffour-Awuah, also the former Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and his personal bodyguard, Kofi Agyemang Duah.

The deceased identified as Francis Frimpong popularly known as ‘Pooley’ was allegedly stabbed to death during the ‘Day 19’ premier league encounter between the two clubs on Sunday, February 2, 2025, at the Professor Amoah Koromansah II stadium at Nsoatre in the Sunyani West Municipality.

The sports facility, the home grounds of the Nsoatreman FC belongs to the former minister. 

According to the source, the police had since sent the suspects to the stadium for some preliminary investigations and added that “we don’t actually know when they will be granted bail because investigations are on-going”. 

Source: GNA 

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