Three ministers lose their jobs in ministerial reshuffle

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The much anticipated ministerial reshuffle has finally been done with three ministers losing their jobs.

Health Minister, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Central Regional Minister, Ama Benyiwa Doe and Information Minister John Tia have lost their jobs.

Acting Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Benjamin Kunbour has been made the substantive AG, while Works and Housing Minister Alban Sumana Bagbin takes over the Health Ministry.

ET Mensah goes to the Works and Housing Ministry while Mr Lee Ocran is taking over the Education Ministry.

Mr Fritz Baffour is heading to the Information Ministry with Mr William Kwesi Aboah takes over from Dr Kunbour as Interior Minister.

The Upper West Region gets Alhaji Amin Sulemana as the new regional minister while Mr Dominic Azembe Azumah goes to the Presidency as a Minister of State.

The Member of Parliament for Mfatseman West, Mr Thomas Aquinas is the Deputy Central Regional Minister-designate and MP for Babdam, Mr Moses Asaga replaces ET Mensah as Employment and Social Welfare Minister-designate.

Ama Benyiwa Doe

The president also made a number of Deputy Ministerial appointments.

Deputy Information Minister Baba Jamal swaps places with Deputy Tourism Minister James Agyenim Boateng.

Dr Omane Boateng is heading to the Ministry of Youth and Sports as a deputy minister while Mr Henry Ametepey has been appointed the Deputy Volta Regional Minister.

Dr Mustapha Ahmed replaces Dr Omane Boamah as the deputy minister with Nii Nortey Dua going to Water Resources, Works and Housing as a deputy minister.

Messrs Steven Ackah and Isaac Vanderpuije are going to the Local Government Ministry and Greater Accra Region respectively as deputy ministers.

Alhaji Siad Sinare has been appointed Ghana’s Ambassador to Egypt. He replaces Alhaji Amidu Sulemana.

Source: myjoyonline.com

Govt donates to familiies of Tema rain disaster victims

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The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has donated an amount of GHC 5,000 on behalf of government to the families of victims who met their untimely death when an uncompleted church building at Tema New Town collapsed on them.

Tema Mayor, Mr. Robert Kempes Ofosu Ware, said the money must be shared equally among both families to fund funeral preparations for their dead.

Wife of a 52-year-old security man, Frederick Quansah and mother of a 6-year-old Matilda Jackson received the money amidst tears. The two were crushed to death by a fallen wall at Tema New Town in last Sunday’s heavy downpour.

Mr. Ofosu cautioned developers to ensure that the right things are done when putting up such structures.

“Our taskforce and building inspectors are not many and cannot be everywhere so we are appealing to the communities to help by reporting these structures at the assembly so that the bylaws can be enforced”, the Mayor told Adom News.

Meanwhile, Pastor of the collapsed church building has been arrested and the New Town Police have started investigations into the issue.

Families of late Frederick Quansah and Matilda Jackson expressed their gratitude to government for the support.

Meanwhile, four other persons, including a 7-month-old baby who sustained various degrees of injury are responding to treatment at the Tema General Hospital.

Source: myjoyonline.com

Betty must explain her resignation – Prof. Ocquaye

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The opposition New Patriotic Party is mounting pressure on the former Minister of Education Betty Mould-Iddrisu to give reasons for her resignation.

Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu’s resignation on Monday comes barely a week after Martin Amidu was fired as the Attorney General for what the Castle said was “misconduct” in the midst of his determination to retrieve over GH¢50 million paid to an NDC financier, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, as judgement debt.

Madam Iddrisu was the Attorney General during the controversial arrangement that led to the payment. The NPP minority MPs had called on the president to fire her.

Even though she has resigned on her own, the minority in parliament are not satisfied. Second Deputy speaker of parliament Professor Mike Ocquaye is demanding detailed explanation.

He told Joy News’ Parliamentary Correspondent, Sammy Darko that Mrs Mould-Iddrisu must explain her exact role in the payment of the huge amount.

“A resignation does not absolve from either legal or moral liability. A resignation does not answer all the questions that the public needs to know.”

Prof. Ocquaye suspects that certain disclosures were made in the meeting held at the Castle, where Mr Amidu was reported to have misconducted himself in the presence of the president.

He said it would be “farcical and it would be a joke” for the former Education Minister to keep the reasons from the public and wait till she is invited by a mandated body before making any disclosures.

Meanwhile, a pressure group, the Progressive Nationalist Forum, is demanding the prosecution of Betty Mould Iddrissu and Finance Minister Dr Kwabena Duffour prosecuted for causing financial loss to the state.

The PNF accuses Mrs. Iddrissu of committing an offence by facilitating the payment of the money to Alfred Woyome.

It also wants Deputy A-G Ebo Barton Odro removed and Martin Amidu reinstated within 17 days to pursue the legal process to recover the sum of 51 million cedis to the state.

For the time being, Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, the Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance, told Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoh that there was merit in the call by Prof. Ocquaye.

“Yes I think there is merit. First of all on grounds of accountability to the public, the public has the right to know and this is a matter of great interest.”

Source: myjoyonline.com

QPR AND CHELSEA ISSUE FANS WARNING IN BID TO LOWER TENSIONS

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Terry is expected to start for Chelsea in the FA Cup tie at QPR

QPR and Chelsea have said they will take action against anyone using discriminatory language during their FA Cup tie on Saturday.

The match will be the first time the two clubs have met since Chelsea’s John Terry was charged with racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in October’s derby.

A QPR and Chelsea joint statement said: “Discrimination has no place in football or society.”

On Tuesday, QPR encouraged Ferdinand to shake hands with Terry before the tie.
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A local derby is always a special occasion and this weekend’s FA Cup tie is a unique opportunity to show the world that hatred has no place in our game, our clubs, or our communities
QPR and Chelsea joint statement

Blues manager Andre Villas-Boas has appealed for calm ahead of the game at QPR’s Loftus Road ground.

The statement added: “Both clubs enjoy fantastic support. However we would remind fans that, while we want to hear their passion, it’s a fact that hatred and abuse is not what being a fan of QPR or Chelsea is about.

“The clubs will work together with the police to ensure that anyone using discriminatory or inflammatory language is identified and that the strongest possible action is taken against them.

“We would urge fans witnessing any form of abuse to report it to a matchday steward.

“Let’s make Saturday’s match a celebration of football.

“A local derby is always a special occasion and this weekend’s FA Cup tie is a unique opportunity to show the world that hatred has no place in our game, our clubs, or our communities.”

The Chelsea skipper was charged after his side’s 1-0 league defeat at Loftus Road on 23 October.

The England captain, who denies the allegations, is due to attend a hearing at West London Magistrates Court on 1 February.

Saturday’s fourth-round game will kick off at noon, partly on the advice of police.

WEST MEMPHIS THREE OSCAR DOCUMENTARY NOD SPARKS ROW

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West Memphis Three Oscar documentary nod sparks row

Filmmakers Joe Berlinger (left) and Bruce Sinofsky (right) with West Memphis Three member Jason Baldwin

The parents of two of three boys who were murdered in 1993 in the US have said they are “disappointed” that a documentary about the killings has been nominated for an Oscar.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory tells of the murders of 8-year-olds Michael Moore, Stevie Branch and Christopher Byers.

Todd and Diana Moore and Branch’s father and stepfather said it glorified the men convicted of the killings – the so-called West Memphis Three.

They called the film “a fraud”.

Expressing their “sadness and outrage”, the parents added, “This film should be exposed as a fraud, not rewarded with an Academy Award nomination,” in a three-page open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The Moores had previously asked the Academy to not consider the film for a prize.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is the third in the series of HBO documentaries following convicted Arkansas men Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley who have always maintained their innocence of the killings, which the prosecution asserted were part of a satanic ritual.

Alford plea

The first film in the series was screened in 1996 and immediately raised doubts about the case.

One of the issues the documentary questions is whether Stevie Branch’s stepfather, Terry Hobbs – who co-signed the Moores’ letter along with Branch’s father – could have been the killer.

The three maintain their innocence though they pleaded guilty to win their freedom

The trio spent 18 years in prison, with Echols – who was 18 at the time – sentenced to death, and Baldwin and Misskelley – both aged 16 – sentenced to life imprisonment.

They were released last August after they pleaded guilty under a so-called Alford plea that allowed them to maintain their innocence while acknowledging prosecutors had enough evidence to convict them.

Over the years, celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder and the Dixie Chicks’ Natalie Maines joined the effort to free the men.

Christopher Byers’ family and Stevie Branch’s mother have also since come to believe the men are innocent.

The film’s director, Joe Berlinger, said he was sympathetic to the victims’ families.

“We believe that the pursuit of the truth has been the best way to honour the memories of the victims of this unimaginable crime and our hearts go out to those who are criticising us,” he said in an email to the Associated Press.

Berlinger said he thought he was making a film about guilty teenagers when he first went to West Memphis in 1994, but that spending eight months covering the case and watching the trials “convinced us that the West Memphis Three did not receive a fair trial”.

However the Moores said of the directors: “They now claim to be ‘searching for the real killers’ of our sons, but it seems unlikely they will be able to do so while directing movies, travelling the globe, and partying with rock stars.

“Our sons, meanwhile, remain dead in their graves.”

The Academy has so far not made a comment on the issue.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is nominated for best documentary feature along with Hell and Back Again, If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, Pina and Undefeated.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA V SENEGAL

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Coach Gilson Paulo leads Equatorial Guinea in training in Bata before the game
Africa Cup of Nations 2012
Venue: Estadio de Bata Group: Group A Date: Wednesday, 25 January Kick-off: 1900 GMT Coverage: Watch live on Eurosport; live text commentary and full report plus reaction on the BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS
Regular Equatorial Guinea captain Rodolfo Bodipo is set to miss out again as the forward continues to be affected by injury.

Limping before the first match with an ankle injury, he came on as a late substitute against Libya but was stretchered off with an injury to his left leg.

Attacking midfielder Randy is one booking away from a suspension, as is Senegal’s Guirane N’Daw.

Teranga Lions coach Amara Traore has been tipped to drop Mamadou Niang to the bench after the captain was relegated to the B team in a training session.

MATCH PREVIEW
Equatorial Guinea are on the verge of reaching the Nations Cup quarter-finals despite being tournament outsiders just days ago.

The National Lightning – who are the lowest-ranked team at the finals – earned an opening day 1-0 win against Libya but face a tougher challenge from Senegal.

Stand-in captain Juvenal Edjogo, deputising for Bodipo (who could make his return in the final group game, say team doctors), believes the Libya win can lift the co-hosts to even greater heights.

“It was so important for us to begin the competition with a win and the future is looking bright,” said the midfielder.

Senegal, meanwhile, have work to do if they are to get their Nations Cup back on track.

Highly-fancied thanks to a wealth of attacking talent, the Teranga Lions’ defence belied its reputation when ripped to pieces by Zambia’s Chipolopolo in their surprise 2-1 defeat.

“We must go back to fundamentals like passing, working together and being aggressive,” said Traore, whose side were ramshackle at times on Saturday.

Winger Issiar Dia will fancy his chances of starting for the West Africans after impressing as a second-half substitute against Zambia.

CARLOS TEVEZ’S MANCHESTER CITY DISPUTE COSTS STRIKER £9.3M

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Carlos Tevez’s Manchester City dispute costs striker £9.3m

By David Ornstein
BBC Sport

Tevez has now lost out on £9.3m in earnings from City

Carlos Tevez’s dispute with Manchester City has cost the Argentine striker £9.3m in wages, fines and lost bonuses.

It is understood he has not been paid his salary, estimated at £200,000 a week, since the end of November.

And he has also been fined £1.2m for gross misconduct over his refusal to return from South America.

Meanwhile, City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak has criticised AC Milan for their conduct in trying to sign Tevez, suggesting they are out of the running.
Tevez monetary factfile
28 October: Fined two weeks’ wages for breach of contract related to Bayern game (£400,000)
7 November: Tevez flies to Argentina without permission. He has been there since
22 December: City charge Tevez with gross misconduct for his actions since 7 November. (Six weeks’ fine: £1.2m). Given until 7 January to appeal, which he did
11 January: Appeal heard by directors and dismissed. Given until 30 January to appeal to Premier League
Tevez has not been paid since the end of November (£1.7m)
Shortly before the Bayern match he was formally informed £6m in loyalty bonuses for the remainder of his contract were being rescinded for repeated transfer requests
Total loss of earnings: about £9.3m

Tevez’s preferred choice would be AC Milan but Al-Mubarak criticised both the club and their vice-president Adriano Galliani, saying the Italians’ discussions with Tevez and his advisers had been “premature”.

“As things stand, AC Milan are not an option for Carlos,” said Al-Mubarak, who will only let Tevez go for £25m, plus add-ons.

Speaking publicly on the subject for the first time, Al-Mubarak told the National newspaper in Abu Dhabi: “If they want to be a consideration in this transfer window, they would do better to stop congratulating one another and begin to look at how they would meet our terms.

“Unless we receive an offer we deem appropriate, the terms of his contract will be enforced.

“Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain approached discussions with us in good faith. It is always a positive experience to deal with people with a professional approach.”

The current saga began when the 27-year-old was fined two weeks’ wages after boss Roberto Mancini alleged the striker refused to come on as a substitute during City’s tie against Bayern Munich in a Champions League tie in September, although Tevez claimed there had been a misunderstanding.

He left for South America and his refusal to return saw him fined six weeks’ wages (£1.2m).
Continue reading the main story

Carlos has said many times before that money has never been a motivation
Tevez spokesman

That fine is currently the subject of an appeal to the Premier League after Tevez’s initial challenge was rejected by Blues directors Marty Edelman and Mohamed al-Mazrouei on 7 January.

Prior to the Bayern match, Tevez forfeited £6m in loyalty bonuses because of his previous requests to leave City.

Tevez’s current deal does not expire until June 2014, but the Argentine has not played for City since 21 September and is currently in his home country.

“Carlos has said many times before that money has never been a motivation,” said a spokesman for Tevez.

“We reached an agreement with Manchester City in terms of his wages when he returned to Argentina and nothing has changed on that front. Now all Carlos wants to do is get back to playing football again.”

City and Tevez want his departure to be confirmed before the end of the January transfer window but the club are unwilling to reduce their fee or let him leave on loan.

Betty Mould wants to kill me – Minority Leader

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Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, has alleged that the former Education Minister, Betty Mould-Iddrisu has threatened to kill him.

According to Mensah-Bonsu, some close confidants of Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu heard her say that she was going to deal with him by ending his life.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Tuesday, Hon. Mensah-Bonsu, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Suame constituency stated that he is not perturbed by the threat from the former Attorney General stating that Mould-Iddrisu is incapable of carrying out such a move.

Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu resigned from her position as Education Minister on Monday which was accepted by President Mills this Tuesday.

Hon. Mensah-Bonsu has stated that he may file an official report with the police on the alleged threats by the former A-G on his Life.

“She spoke to some people who came to tell me that this is what she has told them that if I do cross her path… I should consider myself dead,” the legislator alleged. “I don’t believe she is capable of executing it… however, we are all human so we have to thread with caution.”

“I will discuss it with my colleagues and if we have to go to the police, we will do that,” he said.

Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu had been under pressure by the minority led by Hon. Mensah-Bonsu to resign over her handling of the payment of about GhC58 million to Mr. Alfred Woyome, while she was attorney general.

The former A-G has been accused of failing to defend the case brought against the state by Mr. Woyome resulting in the payment of such whopping sum in judgment debt paid to the NDC financier.

Source: citifmonline

Controversy as Bukom Banku lays claims to Azonto

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The debate over who is the originator of the popular “Azonto” dance is far from over as boxer cum comedian, Braimah Kamoko aka Bukom Banku is claiming ownership of the dance.

The origins of Azonto, which has become the hottest dance in Ghana today and has even gone international, have been hotly contested.

While one school of thought believes that it is a neo-traditional dance of the Ga people in the Greater Accra Region such as “Apaa” or “Gombe”, others say it emanated from the creativity of some Ghanaian dancers which was taken onto the world stage by Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan, who dances Azonto whenever he scores a goal.

But Bukom Banku has challenged those stories claiming that he originated the dance and last Saturday put up quite a show at the T-Havana Park at Tema Community Nine to prove that he is the king of Azonto.

While speaking on Adom FM’s entertainment programme, Adom Billboard, two weeks before, Bukom Banku contested the name Azonto being used for the dance saying its original name is “Tso Ye Osee” which in the Ga dialect literally means “there is a tree behind you so watch your back” and that was when he issued the challenge that he was ready to battle whoever believed could dance better than him.

True to his words he displayed a high sense of creativity, artistry and flair as he danced his version of Azonto to the admiration of the patrons who had gathered at the park.

His dance was characterized by movements such as washing, driving, ironing as well as boxing.

Patrons of the show shouted and applauded with joy as they watched the talented boxer do his own thing with some of them. Young and old, male and female, who believed in their dancing skills gave him stiff opposition as they also exhibited marvelous moves.

Speaking with Adom Entertainment News later, Bukom Banku said that he was impressed with the talents he saw in Tema.

“There are great crop of dancers in Tema but their style of Azonto is more of a formation dance and not the original Azonto,” he said.

Source: Kwaku Adu Kumi/Adom Entertainment News/Ghana

PORTSMOUTH ISSUED WITH HMRC WINDING-UP PETITION

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Portsmouth issued with HMRC winding-up petition

Portsmouth are currently searching for new owners

Portsmouth have been issued with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue and Customs over unpaid tax.

A source at HMRC confirmed to BBC Radio Solent that the petition against Pompey over unpaid tax has been published.

Chief executive David Lampitt confirmed on Saturday that Pompey had failed to meet two payments to HMRC.

Portsmouth are searching for new owners after parent company Convers Sports Initiatives (CSI) entered administration in November.
Continue reading the main story

We still have a significant number of parties interested in acquiring the club who are actively pursuing their respective interests
Portsmouth FC statement
Read the full club statement

“Ensuring tax is paid on time should be at the centre of a football club’s business strategy just as it should be for any other enterprise,” said a HMRC spokesman.

“It is only fair to those clubs and to other taxpayers who do meet their obligations that HMRC enforces payment of tax debts owed – and if need be, issues a winding up petition or seeks to appoint an administrator.”

Italian businessman Joseph Cala pulled out of a deal to buy Pompey on Friday.

There is an urgency to complete a deal with fresh backers, as investment is needed if Portsmouth are to meet ongoing costs.

CSI’s administrator Andrew Andronikou revealed on Friday that Pompey have missed two tax payments of £800,000 to HMRC, totalling £1.6m.

We are in a difficult position and will remain in a difficult position until the ownership is sorted
Portsmouth chief executive David Lampitt

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Portsmouth said the winding-up order was the result of the failure of owners CSI to provide promised funding to support the club financially from November to January.

“One of the reasons for this is that the administrator has not generated expected funds from the sale of other CSI businesses that might have assisted the club’s position,” the statement said.

It went on to say that the situation may well result in player sales while new owners for the club are sought.

“We still have a significant number of parties interested in acquiring the club who are actively pursuing their respective interests,” it added.

“We therefore remain positive that a solution will be found before some of these difficult choices have to be made.”

BBC South understands that any purchaser would need to provide £12m as proof of funds, and assurances they could meet another £20m in repayments to former creditors, Balram Chainrai and Alexandre Gaydamak.

The club also said they were still waiting to learn whether they might be docked league points.

“The league are finalising their report on the club’s position following the administration of CSI and we are expecting to receive the outcome shortly,” the statement said.

“However, we understand that the league may delay their decision until the club’s current ownership situation is closer to being resolved.”

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