Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, speaking to TNT Sports: “I can’t ask any more of the lads. It was disappointing to concede the way we did, fair strike to the lad [Hugo Ekitike].

“Even before that I thought we were well in control of the game. I thought it would bare fruit in the second half and it did in every aspect but goals.”

On the first goal: “Dom’s [Solanke] done awfully well to hold it up, [James] Madders is really good in the box, you try and get him in those areas and then its about attacking the near post.

“It’s a great finish to be fair to him [Pedro Porro].

“For us, the biggest blow we had was conceding so early. That kind of played into their hands, I always felt we’d finish the game strong.

“On any other night we go away with a comfortable victory. We have to go there and we knew it would get decided in the second tie. If we repeat that performance we give ourselves a chance.

“I don’t expect the second game to be to open, it’ll be cagey affair and it’ll come down to moments.

“The second leg is going to be tight for sure, it might even go to extra-time, we’re going to need all the lads ready to go. The good thing is we have most of them back and healthy which is important.”

Dr Saajida Shiraz, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Students Loan Trust Fund

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), Dr Saajida Shiraz, has confirmed the full settlement of arrears owed to teacher trainees across the country.

In an official statement issued on Thursday, April 10, 2025, Dr Shiraz stated, “Management announces the successful disbursement of arrears of teacher trainee allowances to a total of 65,685 trainees across all accredited Colleges of Education in the country.”

According to the statement, “The arrears, which cover a three-month period, have now been fully settled.”

This payment, she noted, forms part of a broader commitment to “providing equal financing to all eligible tertiary students.”

It also supports “the government’s reset agenda aimed at strengthening support systems within the education sector and ensuring uninterrupted academic progression for our future leaders,” the statement emphasized.

The allowance scheme has, over the years, served as a vital source of support for teacher trainees, many of whom rely on it to meet their academic and personal needs.

AM/KA

Meanwhile, watch GhanaWeb’s tour of Fort Victoria and the Cape Coast Lighthouse below:

The United States’ decision to impose a 10% tariff on imports from all countries is expected to have far-reaching consequences on the global economy, affecting multiple sectors.

Among those impacted are major cocoa-producing nations creating a competitive edge for European chocolate companies over their American counterparts.

The 10% tariff, unilaterally announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, targets imports from across the globe, including Ghana.

Affected goods include garments, textiles, cashews, shea butter, fruits, vegetables, yams, and cocoa products. As the world’s second-largest cocoa exporter, Ghana relies heavily on this sector; cocoa alone accounted for 62.1% of the country’s total exports in 2024.

In 2023, Ghana exported $154 million worth of cocoa beans to the United States, making the U.S. a key trade partner.

The new tariff has raised concerns about its impact on national revenue and stakeholders in the cocoa industry.

But Stephenson Anane Boateng, President of the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association, believes the local industry may not suffer as much as feared.

“We are the producing country; people are demanding from us, so the tariffs imposed on exportation into the US is not a big deal. We have to add it to our cost” he said.

Stephenson also urged local chocolatiers to consider passing the additional cost from the tariffs on to consumers.

JoyNews held a National Dialogue tonight on the critical question — “What To Do With ECG?” — as frustrations mount over persistent power sector challenges.

The programme came at a time when the company was burdened with huge debt, and there are moves by the government to privatise portions of its operations amid concerns about inefficiencies in the company’s operations.

Stakeholders, industry experts, and policymakers came together to deliberate on the future of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and explore possible solutions to Ghana’s recurring power challenges.

Catch the conversation live on JoyNews TV, Joy 99.7 FM, and across digital platforms.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Chairman IACG, Wilson Tei

The Insurance Awareness Coordinators Group (IACG), led by its Chairman, Wilson Tei, with support from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), has officially launched the Micro and Small Business Clinics (MSBC) in Takoradi, the Western Regional capital.

According to Tei, this initiative aims to educate market traders and artisans in the Western and Western North Regions on the importance of insurance as a critical tool for risk mitigation.

The MSBC programme, a collaborative effort by key industry stakeholders including the National Insurance Commission (NIC), the regulator; the Ghana Insurers Association (GIA); the Insurance Brokers Association of Ghana (IBAG); and the National Association of Ghana Insurance Agents (NAGIA), seeks to improve insurance penetration and enhance financial security among small-scale business owners.

The launch commenced with the training of facilitators on April 9, 2025, at the GNAT Hall in Takoradi.

The session was led by Kyeame Ghansah, Head of Research at the NIC, with active support from industry representatives.

Also speaking during the training, Prince Peter Quayson of the GIA emphasized the critical role insurance plays in protecting livelihoods, especially for Micro and Small Businesses that are most vulnerable to unforeseen losses.

It was further announced that Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) will be held from April 10 to 16, 2025, across several towns, including Takoradi, Axim, Tarkwa, Asankragua, Agona Nkwanta, Kwesimintsim, Wassa, Sehwi Bekwai, Bogoso, and Sefwi Wiawso.

Ghansah reaffirmed that the IACG is the mandated body responsible for leading insurance awareness campaigns across the country, noting that the MSBC initiative aligns with the group’s broader goal of building resilience within the informal sector through education and advocacy.

The MSBC initiative is expected to serve as a crucial platform for bridging the knowledge gap on insurance products and services among informal sector workers, ensuring that more Ghanaians are protected from financial shocks.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana (IET-GH), has rejected recent comments made by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, which suggested that engineers in the region were responsible for the wrongful issuance of a building permit for a project situated on a Ramsar site.

The minister reportedly called for the transfer of 99.9% of engineers from the region over the issue.

In response, IET-GH issued a press statement on April 10, 2025, clarifying the role of engineering practitioners within Ghana’s local governance and development permit systems.

According to IET-GH, the responsibility for issuing building or development permits does not lie with engineers.

Citing the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925), the institution explained that the authority to issue such permits is solely vested in the Spatial Planning Committee (SPC) of the respective Metropolitan, Municipal, or District Assemblies (MMDAs).

The SPC, a multi-disciplinary committee chaired by the Chief Executive of the Assembly, includes professionals from various departments such as physical planning, works, roads, disaster prevention, environmental protection, and traditional authorities, among others.

“The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana (IET-GH), has noted with concern a recent statement by the Greater Accra Regional Minister suggesting the transfer of 99.9% of engineers from the region over the issuance of a building permit for a project on a Ramsar site.

“This assertion is not only unfortunate but also a misrepresentation of the roles and responsibilities of engineering practitioners within the local government structure.

“We wish to categorically clarify that engineering practitioners are not responsible for the issuance of building or development permits,” the statement emphasized.

The institution also called for a thorough investigation into any claims that individual engineers may have bypassed proper procedures to issue permits.

It stressed that any such actions, if confirmed, would constitute professional misconduct and should be dealt with through the appropriate regulatory channels.

IET-GH has appealed to the Office of the Chief of Staff to consider organizing orientation programmes for Regional Ministers.

These programmes, the institution suggested, would help improve knowledge of local governance systems, applicable laws, and the roles of professionals involved in the built environment.

AM/KA

Meanwhile, watch GhanaWeb’s tour of Fort Victoria and the Cape Coast Lighthouse below:

Committee to focus on compliance and sustainability

Cross-Institutional representation for holistic oversight

ACCRA, Ghana – U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) concluded the African Land Forces Summit (ALFS) 2025 today with a closing ceremony.

Sponsored by the U.S. Army chief of staff, ALFS 25 ran from April 7–10 and brought together land force commanders from nearly 40 African countries, other partner nations, academic thought leaders, and government officials for open dialogue about shared challenges. This year’s theme was “Optimizing Land Forces for the Emerging Security Environment.”

“This week reminded us of the importance of partnerships. It was an absolute honor to meet with the great leaders in this room and to co-host this fantastic summit with such a great partner,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Andrew Gainey, commanding general, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa.

In line with the summit’s message of partnership, he urged participants to turn insights into action, stressing the importance of unity and shared purpose in Africa’s security development journey.

“As we conclude another successful summit, I encourage all of you to apply the valuable lessons learned and to continue to work together to build the multinational connections,” Gainey.

GAF served as the co-host and host nation for the event alongside SETAF-AF. Throughout the week, land forces commanders from across Africa engaged in discussions guided by subject-matter experts.

“It has been a great opportunity for strategic engagements, insightful deliberations and networking,” said Maj. Gen. Lawrence Gbetanu, Chief of the Army Staff, Ghana Armed Forces.

Ernest Brogya Genfi, the deputy minister of defence, Ghana, who officially closed the summit, emphasized that the success of the summit is not only marked by the weight of deliberations and valuable ideas, but also the opportunities it created for strategic engagement and networking.

“This summit has been a breeding ground for the development of bilateral and multilateral agreements to address our common defence and security challenges,” Genfi continued.

“Ghana remains steadfast in our commitment to play leading roles in arrangements such as this which provides a platform for our allies and friendly nations to deliberate on our common challenges,” said Genfi.

The trade war between Washington and Beijing deepens, as the White House says its tariff rate on most Chinese goods is 145%.

Donald Trump had announced a 125% levy on imports from China on April 10, 2025 – but now the White House confirms that is on top of an existing 20% fee.

Trump acknowledged some tariff “transition difficulty” at a cabinet meeting.

Beijing earlier announced an 84% tariff on US goods entering the country.

The US stock market suffered another day of losses.

Elsewhere, the EU put retaliatory tariffs against the US on hold, after Trump paused a 20% tariff against Europe for 90 days.

The EU now faces the same 10% baseline tariff as most other countries, which Trump announced last week.

US stock market closes after another day of losses

Here’s what Wall Street’s three major stock indexes looked like at 16:00 EST (21:00 BST):

-Dow Jones Industrial Average – down 2.5%
-Nasdaq Composite – down 4.31%
-S&P 500 – down 3.46%

April 9, saw stock markets rally after Trump announced a pause to heavy tariffs on most countries, ending a run of days of heavy losses.

But on Thursday, there was a slump as soon as markets opened, reflecting ongoing uncertainty among investors about the economy.

April’s 10 losses don’t wipe out April 9’s gains, but all three main indexes are well below where they were before Trump imposed the tariffs.

The mood on Wall Street has darkened overnight
Gone is the euphoria from yesterday’s trading session, which saw the major US indexes notch their biggest one-day gains in years.

They resumed their run in the red Thursday, at one point halving yesterday’s gains.

The sell-off deepened after the White House clarified that tariffs on imports from China totalled not 125%, but 145%, after stacking the new number on top of an earlier tariff rate.

Investors worry that the tariffs on China and other countries will ultimately weaken growth.

The New York Stock Exchange closes soon – we’ll bring you the latest numbers shortly.

…..

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Former Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has stated that for many years, ECG’s revenue was not the best.

Speaking at the JoyNews National Dialogue on Thursday, April 10, Mr Mahama stressed that ECG had historically not been part of major revenue conversations.

“ECG was never at the table in terms of revenue. For years, ECG’s revenue was flat-lined — always between GH¢450 million to GH¢500 million. No utility company’s revenue should be that stagnant,” he said.

Read also: There was zero investment in ECG during Akufo-Addo’s first tenure – Dubik Mahama

However, he pointed to the significant progress made during his tenure, where ECG’s revenue reportedly increased to GH¢1.5 billion.

Mr Mahama further explained that ECG’s financial struggles were deeply rooted and not new to him when he assumed office in May 2022. However, sitting at the board level was a different experience compared to managing the company daily.

“There were a lot of discrepancies in the thinking around the company called ECG. Data from the Project Management Office revealed that over 700 electrical infrastructure projects were outstanding, about 100 more in civil works, and only 12 in customer service. This showed clearly that while the infrastructure side was being addressed, the business side — the side that brings in the money — was neglected.”

He noted that there was a fundamental flaw in how the company related to its customers, emphasising that no modern utility company can thrive without investing in customer interface systems.

“I had a discussion with the board and told them that no critical 21st-century utility operates without properly engaging customers. So, we embarked on an ambitious drive to change the narrative around customer relations,” Mr Mahama said.

Despite his familiarity with the company’s challenges from his time on the board, Mr Mahama admitted that sitting in the Managing Director’s chair exposed him to the harsh realities of ECG’s operational difficulties.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

By Jibril Abdul Mumuni

Accra, April 10, GNA – The Accra School of Hygiene has officially launched its centenary celebrations, marking 10 decades of excellence in training environmental and public health professionals in Ghana.

The event, held at the school’s premises, brought together government officials, health professionals, alumni, students, and stakeholders to commemorate the institution’s legacy and chart a path for its future.

On the theme, “A Century of Hygiene: Reviewing the Past, Refining the Future”, the ceremony highlighted the school’s pivotal role in Ghana’s public health sector since its establishment in 1925 as the nation’s oldest public health training institution.

Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh Minister of Health, in a speech read on his behalf, praised the school for its unwavering commitment to producing skilled environmental health officers, occupational health specialists, and sanitation professionals.

“For a century, this institution has been at the forefront of safeguarding public health, enforcing sanitation laws, and mitigating environmental health risks.”

“The recent introduction of the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and Sanitation further demonstrates its dedication to innovation and excellence,” he said.

The Minister also acknowledged the school’s alignment with national and global health goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on clean water, sanitation, and good health.

Mr Smile Kobina Ametsi Principal of the Accra School of Hygiene, in his welcome address, outlined the institution’s growth over the years, from offering certificate programmes to now providing degree and diploma courses.

“We have expanded our training portfolio to include a BSc in Environmental Health and Sanitation, as well as new diploma programmes in Occupational Therapy and Occupational Health and Safety,” he said.

He further revealed plans to introduce additional undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including a Bachelor of Science(BSc) in Health Promotion and a Master’s in Environmental Health, pending accreditation.

Despite its achievements, the Principal highlighted pressing challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, limited lecture halls, and bureaucratic hurdles in staff transfers from local government to the Ministry of Health.

“We appeal to the government, alumni, and development partners to support our vision of becoming a centre of excellence in public health training,” he said.

The centenary will be marked by a series of activities throughout the year, including health outreach programmes, academic symposiums, and alumni engagements.

The school also aims to secure a new site for a state-of-the-art training facility to meet 21st-century health demands.

As part of the launch, the school matriculated its second batch of BSc Environmental Health students, reinforcing its commitment to producing the next generation of public health leaders.
GNA
SOF

The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Richard Ofori Boadi, has signaled all persons occupying pavements and unauthorised spaces in the Central Business District of the city to vacate ahead of a major decongestion exercise on April 16.

The newly-confirmed city mayor says his administration intends to use sustainable means to ensure a lasting solution to the problem.

“If you are selling on the pavement, adjust yourself, if you are in the middle of any dual carriage road, especially in the Central Business District, then you have to take steps to get out of the place because from Wednesday we will be coming”, Mr Boadi said.

He emphasised, “I have a different strategy of decongestion. I don’t believe in bringing military men there. Everybody wants to sell in Adum, it is the reason they are there. We will find some ingenious ways to keep them in Adum and decongest it.”

The completion of major stalled market projects remains a priority to the Kumasi Mayor. He says strategic measures will be adopted to complete them by the end of his tenure.

Mr Boadi added, “Krofrom, I am sure within the next two years, it must be completed. For Kejetia Market, the contractors are on site. I will get a briefing from the Regional Minister on the status of it, and I am sure that by the end of President Mahama’s tenure, it will be completed.”

Fifty-five of 56 assembly members endorsed the President’s nominee for the position of Kumasi metro chief executive.

The election scheduled for Friday was pushed a day earlier at the request of the Assembly members in the metropolis. The venue was also changed to prevent party members from gathering at the location.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Major General Andrew Gainey, Commanding General of US Army Southern European Task Force

The Commanding General of the United States Army, Southern European Task Force Africa, Major General Andrew Gainey, has urged military officers to cooperate and synchronize efforts to address the challenges of disinformation.

Delivering an address at the closing of the 13th African Land Forces Summit in Accra on Thursday, April 10, 2025, he admonished military leaders to use the summit as an opportunity to collaborate and build strong forces to combat disinformation, which poses a threat to security within African land forces and beyond.

He stated that the United States Army is fully committed to enabling the operational capacity of its partners in fighting the challenges of disinformation.

“The complex challenges of disinformation require multinational and regional cooperation and synchronization. They require the involvement of everyone here,” he emphasised.

The U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) co-hosted the summit, which has been previously held in the United States (2010 & 2022), Uganda (2012), Senegal (2015), Tanzania (2016), Malawi (2017), Nigeria (2018), Botswana (2019), Ethiopia (2020), Cote d’Ivoire (2023), and Zambia (2024).

The theme for this year’s summit was “Optimizing Land Forces for the Emerging Security Environment.”

During the summit, senior land force leaders from African nations had the opportunity to build and strengthen relationships, exchange information on current topics of mutual interest, and encourage cooperation in addressing challenges.

The African Land Forces Summit (ALFS) is an annual event that brings together land forces commanders from across Africa, other partner nations, academics, and government leaders.

MRA/MA

Ever heard of a colonial fort with a children’s dungeon and a unique shrine for the slaves? Find out the details with Etsey Atisu as he toured Fort William at Anomabo below:

By Agbaxode Emmanuel

Akatsi (VR), April 10, GNA-Mr James Gunu, the Volta Regional Minister, has assured affected residents of government support after a recent rainstorm disaster that wreaked havoc on some parts of Akatsi township in the Volta Region. 

He indicated that his outfit had already directed officials of the National Disaster Management (NADMO) to assess the extent of damage that would enable them to release the needed relief items to the area. 

Mr Gunu gave the assurance on Wednesday, April 9 at the Akatsi South Municipal Assembly Hall during the confirmation of Mr Daniel Dagba, the President’s nominee for the position of Municipal Chief Executive (MCE). 

“I have already communicated with the appropriate authorities, including NADMO and the Member of Parliament for the area for a collaborative intervention.”  

He further appealed to all affected residents to ensure proper setting up of their projects in order to prevent future disturbances. 

This, Mr Gunu said, ought to be accomplished with the help of the various technocrats and experts at the assembly, where projects would be properly inspected and approved before commencement of work. 

Hundreds of households, including some key government and private institutions, were affected due to the heavy windstorm that occurred on Sunday, March 30 around 1800 hours, ripping off roofings, and destroying buildings and electricity poles, among others. 

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) also gathered that Mr Bernard Ahiafor, Member of Parliament for Akatsi South, who doubles as the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament has since released packets of roofing sheets to be distributed to the affected residents while embarking on an official international assignment outside the country. 

GNA 

MA/CA 

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has published detailed comments on the 2025 Budget and Economic Policy presented to Parliament by the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson on March 11, 2025.

The 2025 budget has the theme “Resetting the Economy for the Ghana we want,”

In the 12-page document submitted to the government on the budget, the TUC commented on the Macroeconomic Policy Framework, Employment, Wages, Salaries, and Industrial Peace, Social Protection and Pensions, Public Debts and National Revenues, Agriculture and Food Security, Privatisation of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Labour Administration, Taxation and Free Senior High School policy.

The TUC noted in the documented dated April, 2025 that “The assessment is done in the context of our budget proposals submitted to Government before the budget presentation. More importantly, our assessment is against the backdrop of the nature of Ghana’s economic challenges. That is, an economic management framework that has for over four (4) decades failed to transform the structure of the Ghanaian economy.”

It added that this framework “has produced high rate of joblessness, rampant inflation, high interest rates, unsustainable national debts, declining incomes, and suffocating cost-of-living.”

“In our submission to Government on the 2025 budget, we indicated that Ghana’s recuring economic challenges stems from a flawed
macroeconomic framework that has been implemented since the mid-1980s. In that framework, employment is treated as a residual outcome of
economic growth and macroeconomic stability. This assumption has proven to be false given that in the last 40 years of positive economic growth, joblessness has increased and employment has shifted to the informal sector. Good jobs have become harder to obtain,” the TUC stated.

“While overprioritizing macro stability, the framework has resulted in recurring bouts of macroeconomic instability. This is reflected in the
persistence of the inflation problem in Ghana, high interest rates, subdued economic growth, and depreciating national currency,” it emphasised.

To turn things around, the TUC urged government to work with all stakeholders to change the current macroeconomic framework.

“Ghana needs a new model of economic management that seeks to qualitatively change the structure of the economy. Employment creation must be at the centre of economic policy. Ghana needs to derive maximum benefits from its natural resources. This will enable Government to fund national development from domestic revenues, obviate the need for borrowing and reduce our debt burden,” the Union advised.

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Gifty Owusu-Amoah

Showbiz News

Apr – 10 – 2025 , 18:37

2 minutes read

Concerns are mounting among financial experts regarding Ghana’s plans to finance a significant 63 percent of its 2025 budget deficit domestically.

This strategy, coupled with recent trends of rejected and undersubscribed Treasury Bills, has raised red flags about government’s ability to close the fiscal gap and its potential repercussions for the nation’s economy.

Finance and tax expert, Nelson Cudjoe Kuagbedzi has issued a stark warning, highlighting that the continuous rejection of bids and the failure to fully subscribe to Treasury Bill auctions pose a serious threat to the government’s deficit financing objectives. His caution comes on the heels of the recent auctions.

(Table showing T-bills auction trends from March 7-April 4, 2025)

According to Kuagbedzi, this trend has “significant implications for Ghana’s economy.” If government struggles to secure the necessary domestic financing, the nation could face a cascade of negative consequences. These include “increased borrowing costs, economic instability, inflation, currency depreciation, and even a sovereign debt crisis”, he noted.

Ghana’s challenges with deficit financing are not a new phenomenon. Historical data reveals a persistent struggle with revenue mobilization. Research indicates that the country’s budget deficits are often fueled by low tax collection. Currently, Ghana’s tax revenue as a percentage of GDP hovering around 13.9 percent. This issue exacerbates the current concerns surrounding the reliance on domestic borrowing.

Nelson Cudjoe Kuagbedzi acknowledges that deficit financing can be a double-edged sword. While it can inject much-needed funds into the economy and potentially stimulate growth, it also carries inherent risks if not managed prudently. “Uncontrolled deficit financing can lead to inflationary pressures, widen income inequality, and create overall economic instability.”

The current situation, marked by a high reliance on domestic financing and government’s apparent reluctance to accept high borrowing costs in the Treasury bill market, presents a complex challenge. It remains to be seen how government will navigate these headwinds to ensure a stable economic future for Ghana. Government needs diversified strategies to address these concerns and secure the necessary funds to meet its budgetary obligations without triggering adverse economic consequences. The interplay between government’s fiscal plans, investor appetite, and borrowing costs will be crucial in determining Ghana’s economic trajectory in the coming year.

By Eben Agyekum-Boateng, 3Business