GORAN PLAVI STEVANOVIC SACKED

Very reliable sources at the Ghana
Football Association (GFA) have
indicated that the coach of the senior
national football team Goran
Stevanovic has been sacked.
The Serbian trainer was given a two-
week lifeline within which the FA
would further study his technical
report from the 2012 Africa Cup of
Nations.
Citi News sources, however, indicate
the two-week gap is to allow for the
football association to sort out the
financial obligations owed to the 45-year old.
Further checks I made from my sources within the GFA which is very reliable indicates that an announcement would be made soon. The Executive Committee of the FA is particularly not enthused about the technical report submitted by the head coach since it is not up to scratch. The attitude of the coach towards the members of the Executive Committee during their meeting this week was something they were not happy about.

MORE UPDATES TO FOLLOW

MILOVAN RAJEVAC, PLEASE COME AGAIN

A lot has happened in the past weeks, the Glo Premiership, the EPL (where Arsenal moved up to the 2nd position with a match in hand), 2010 World Cup qualifiers (where Thierry Henry handled the ball with the hand twice before Willie Gallas scored for France to qualify for the world cup 2010), Manny Pacquiao teaching Miguel Cotto a real boxing lesson, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and Asamoah Gyan exhibiting a blatant disregard for senior national team, the Black Stars by staying out of the team billed to play Angola in an international friendly to commemorate a stadium built for the AFCON and so on. It’s been difficult for me to settle on a topic for this piece because I had a lot to write on.

Anyway, I find it difficult and hard to accept the excuse given by the head coach of the Black Stars, Mr. Milovan Rajevac that apart from Harrison Afful, he doesn’t know of any other player who can play at the left full back position (The orthodox number 3 position) in his absence. I see this excuse as an insult to all the local coaches in the major leagues in Ghana, be it Glo Premier League, Polytank Div. 1, etc. because there are so many left full back (LFB) players in these leagues.
This is a kind of manager who only travels out of the country to monitor foreign based players without staying in the country to watch our local league matches and identify talents for the Black Stars. Before this man was appointed, we were made to understand that he is a man who unearths talents, a disciplinarian, a great tactician etc. but it’s been over a year since he was appointed (I stand for correction though) and I haven’t seen him unearth a single talent or disciplined a player even though we’ve seen certain players show indiscipline attitudes in the team.

Elsewhere in the Barclay Card English Premier League, we always see Fabio Capello (the manager of the English national team) watch at least 4 league matches a week since he begun managing the team. What then prevents Coach Milo from watching at least 1 match in a week? How can he find a LFB player if he fails to watch our league matches? That position has been problematic since Jacob Nettey (formerly with Hearts of Oak) retired from the national team after the AFCON 2000 hosted by Ghana and Nigeria. In any case, Jacob Nettey was a local based player when he was with the national team which was handled by Guiseppe Dossena. Shilla Illiasu Alhassan (a left back or centre back) was an Asante Kotoko FC player when he played at the LFB in the 2006 world cup in Germany, Habib Mohammed was also a player of Alhaji Grunsah’s King Faisal when he was introduced as a LFB replacement for Adorquaye Papoe in Germany by the then head coach, Ratomir Dukovic. All the left full backs that we’ve had in the national team except Nana Kwasi Asare and Hans Adu Sarpei have all been locally based because they usually don’t get foreign contracts. Names such as Kwesi Appiah (now deputy coach of the Black Stars), Isaac Asare, Emmanuel Asare, Jacob Nettey, Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, are those that readily come to mind.

If Milo needs a LFB, he should look through the local teams and it doesn’t necessarily have to be Kotoko or Hearts of Oak. Since he hardly changes some of the players which make them think they are untouchables, how could he have found solutions to certain positions in the team? For me, the LFB is not the only problematic position in the team but also the central defense, attack and the goal keeping positions. We have still not found replacement for Richard Kingston, John Mensah, to some extent Harrison Afful, and co. Eric Addo is an experienced defensive midfielder and he should be sent back to assist Essien rather than the centre back role. He was only brought in to the central defense because Shilla Illiasu was injured in the AFCON 2008 hosted by Ghana.

Coach Milo should also look within the set up for replacement in the left full back position. Sulley Muntari was a LFB in the under 17 and under 20 level. That is his natural position. Someone should tell him. John Paintsil is a utility player we can try there since he has previously played in that position. Rahim Ayew and Aziz Ansah are players that he can try in the friendly matches that the team will play before the AFCON 2010 and South Africa 2010. It will also not be out of place to play centre backs like Jonathan Mensah, Jonathan Quartey,and Isaac Vorsah at the LFB position. Rajevac, please spare us all those kind of excuses. It doesn’t sound convincing. Thank you.

What am I hearing about an agency that Milovan is associated with? Is that the reason why a fine striker like Eric Berkoe, who is one of the current joint top scorers in the Egyptian league isn’t called to justify his inclusion in the team? Why is Samuel Inkoom (a great talent by all standard), being forced to play at the left full back position, a position that he has shown that he is not capable of playing without problems, at least the Ghana V Benin and the Ghana V Mali matches are there for all to see. He felt uncomfortable at that role during his days at Kotoko. Full investigation should be done concerning this agency thing before it gets out of hand. The Dominico Ricci agency thing where by only players in Dossena camp were only called up to feature for the Black Stars, is a typical experience we must learn from. The national team is for all eligible Ghanaian footballers and not owned by a few Ghanaians who by chance find their way at helm of affairs as officials or players. We need the nations cup trophy and also go far in the world cup. Senegal, Cameroon and Nigeria have all reached the quarter finals before and to show that we are a force to reckon with, we need to reach the semi final. We can’t afford to fail. God Bless our homeland Ghana and make our Nation GREAT and STRONG….

FELIX DONKOR,
www.felixdonkor.blogspot.com

GIVE TO THE POOR AND THE NEED

Whenever I wake up and see the light, I pray to the Lord to take me through because each day and each night, problems keep coming. Some black women and children die because of hunger and tribal conflicts. This is the time our political leaders must sit down and analyze the situation.
It appears to me that some of our leaders value material things than humanity. Everyone must stand firm and say no to calamity because the good Lord sitting on thy throne is the Almighty. We must all love and share what we have with our fellow men and women, do unto others what you want to be done unto you since envy, bad mind and wicked intentions won’t take us anywhere.
It must cease right now since a bigger judgement awaits everyone. Know that the biggest gift of God is staying alive and you will only receive it when you live right. Guidance from God is what we must seek for.
Help the poor and the needy. Giving to the poor and the needy is like giving to the Lord Almighty and God will surely give it back.
Think about this carefully and remember to give a helping hand to poor, the needy and the orphan.
FELIX DONKOR,
www.felixdonkor.blogspot.com

HOOLIGANISM IN GHANA FOOTBALL IS TARNISHING OUR IMAGE

“Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes. It is foolish to fear what you cannot avoid” – PUBLIUS SYRUS

There are only 3 things in football, a win, loss and draw. In our part of the world, teams always want to win at all cost especially when playing at their home grounds with their supporters behind them. In their dictionary, they do not have a loss or draw in it. What they always fail to recognized is that, a loss or draw cannot be avoided. Over the years, Ghana football has been characterized with all sorts of negative things, particularly hooliganism, brutalism and bribery that only give our football bad image. It is very dangerous to watch soccer in centres such as Berekum Golden City Park, Obuasi Len Clay sports stadium, Swedru sports stadium, and to some extent the Tema sports stadium. Lately, the Baba Yara stadium and the Ohene Djan aren’t safe either. Kotoko supporters broke the fibre glass door and a section of the inner perimeter at the Ohene Djan stadium in Accra to show their displeasure at the way the men in black handled the game between the Porcupine warriors, Kotoko and SP Mirren. Kotoko was subsequently punished and made to pay for the replacement of the fibre glass in US dollar equivalent. The team was fined heavily and defenders, Godfred Yeboah and Ofosu Appiah were also fined for charging on the referee by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) disciplinary committee. Supporters and followers of Ghana football condemned the action from a section of Kotoko supporters. Our brothers on the other side, Accra Hearts of Oak called the Kotoko supporters all sorts of names and even called on the (GFA) to punish Kotoko even more to serve as a deterrent.
Then at the Baba Yara stadium in Kumasi, 4 people were pronounced dead when they came to the stadium to watch the 9th week league match of the Glo premier league game between Kotoko and Hearts of Oak in which the fabulous boys lost by a goal to two. Immediately, a committee was set up by the then Honourable minister, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak where Kotoko CEO, Sylvester Asare Owusu was punished severely. The then National Sports Council boss was also punished by the minister on behalf of the government. Aziz Haruna of chapter O and some Hearts supporters called Kotoko names. They chastised the team any time they had the opportunity to go on air.
What the country and the world experienced last week in the 27th week league fixture of the Glo Premier League game between Accra Hearts of Oak and Bechem Chelsea was regrettable, disgraceful and unpardonable. Like the previous ones, this must also be condemned. Hearts went into the midweek match fixture against Chelsea and they were seeking their first win in 7 matches. However, unluckily for them, they played against a Bechem Chelsea side that was so disciplined tactically and also well composed. This is a team that had beaten them severely in Bechem. Chelsea gave them a stiff opposition and the game ended a pulsating 1 – 1 draw. It was very very sad to see the supporters of the Accra team go on rampage and immediately attacked the referee and his assistants when the game came to an end. Assistant referee one, Dawood ouadraogo was mercilessly beaten till he fell into coma. He was then rushed to the Stadium hospital and then to the Ridge hospital for treatment.
This is really a clear predetermined act of hooliganism, brutalism, barbarism and vandalism. Their management members at the stadium were prevented by some supporters at the VIP when they tried to stop and prevent any nasty scene. During the President’s cup match on July 7 2009 at the Ohene Djan stadium when Hearts played Sekondi Eleven Wise, supporters of Hearts also tried to attack the GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi. For me, it is an indictment on Ghana football and the right thing must be done otherwise, it will go a long way to tarnish the image of our game. I am however calling on the GFA to apply the rules without fear or favour and punish offenders. The video is there for them to make their judgement. Some supporters found on the pitch are well-known by all and should be arrested and prosecuted. Elsewhere, it is done and I expect the authorities to act swiftly. Justice delayed means justice denied. Just as the government swiftly set up a committee of enquiry to investigate the events of February 8, 2009 when Kotoko played Hearts in Kumasi, I expect nothing but the same measure of interest and swiftness of investigation will apply accordingly. Government should show interest in the safety and security of every Ghanaian, including assistant referee Dawood Ouadraogo who was beaten to the point of death. The GFA DC did not stutter to impose a huge fine on Kotoko for misconduct and I expect them to act appropriately in this case as well. Eyes are watching!!!

The 29th week also recorded ugly scenes at the Len Clay sports stadium. Stones were thrown at Kotoko supporters after Kotoko scored the first goal in the 32nd minute of the first half, courtesy Daniel Nii Adjei. Subsequently, tear gas were fired, including warning shots from the police. There is also an alleged bribery case against Ashgold officials by Kotoko officials. If the reports that we are hearing from Sarfo Gyamfi and Rev. Osei Kofi that 2 Ashgold officials came to see 2 unnamed Kotoko officials to play a match of convenience to pave way for Ashgold to escape relegation is anything to go by, then the FA and our security agencies must investigate this matter. As I said earlier on, we are all watching. Justice must prevail.

FELIX DONKOR (FEDOK)
www.felixdonkor.blogspot.com
www.newsafrican.com

HIV/AIDS AND FACTS

This disease has been with us for a very long time and many countries as well as organizations, including the United Nations are doing their possible best to fight against it. The youth are the most infected and the current generation of young people in Ghana is faced with complex challenges, none as critical as the threat of HIV/AIDS. The UNAIDS reports that currently, 11.8 million young people between the ages of 24-25 are living with the disease, 8.6 million of whom live in sub Sahara Africa. About 6000 young people unknowingly get infected with the virus and many will not become aware of their status until 5 or 10 years. They thus continue to transmit the disease further. The youth accounts for more than half of new HIV infections, yet most young people do not consider themselves to be at risk.
The HIV/AIDS prevalence in Ghana is currently estimated at 3% and 90% of all infected persons fall between the ages of 15 and 49 years. 2 out of every 3 persons in Ghana is a WOMAN. The rate at which the disease is spreading is very fast but the youth which I’m part of have the ability to turn the tide against HIV/AIDS by refusing to enguage in high risk activities such as unprotected sex and most importantly ABSTINENCE. Many find ABSTINENCE difficult to understand and practice. Whether this assertion is true or false, it is another topic for discussion in my next article. Watch out for interesting views from some youth of our land. During my training as a peer educator with UNFPA/PPAG/Religious Bodies in 1998, the discussion about ABSTINENCE generated into heated but healthy argument among the 50 participants from across Ghana. I really enjoyed the interesting ideas which were brought up.
Anal sex which is fast growing among the youth and even the old should be frowned upon. Some researches have shown that, comparatively, the risk of transmission of HIV by ordinary vaginal sex is very low and those who practice anal sex are much more likely to turn up HIV positive than those who have vaginal sex. One should not forget that the first reported cases of HIV were among homosexuals in San Francisco in the USA.
Since women are more vulnerable to this dreadful disease than their male counterparts, they must be empowered with the relevant information and education so as to make them play a more significant role in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Ghana.
Furthermore, the youth must be supported to make decisions to abstain from sex as long as possible and educate them about the male and female condom use in order to protect themselves in the near future. Prof. Sakyi A. Amoah, the director-General of Ghana AIDS commission in 2003 reported that they had been working with the Ministry of Education to equip the teachers with necessary skills to make student aware and the need to prevent them from being infected. I think the next step is to include HIV/AIDS (and other Sexually Transmitted Infections, STI) in the national curriculum. The awareness is all over, thus the campaign should be geared towards the house-to-house and community-to-community education. People living with the disease should be made to accompany the educators during the exercise. During one of our educational trips by the Christian Council Peer Educators to Manhean (near Ablekuma) in 2003, we realized that there was no electricity in the community. The community lacked an entertainment centre. The youth used the tombs of dead persons near their houses as entertainment centre during the evenings to enguaged in all sorts of unprotected sexual activities. The rate of teenage pregnancy in the community was very high. Though they had heard of HIV/AIDS they did not believe it existed until we went there again with an infected person.
Everyone should see the need to be part of the ally in the campaign, to end the stigma and discrimination against people living with AIDS. Discrimination against people living with AIDS has been identified as the primary barrier towards prevention, treatment and ultimately the eradication of HIV/AIDS. All must seize the opportunity to break the silence and shame associated with the disease, reach out to people living with the disease and practice safe and exemplary life styles. As we celebrate the Christmas and the New Year, we should bear in mind that AIDS is real and the disease is spreading very fast. Lets all help STOP AIDS and LOVE LIFE for a better Ghana. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Prosperous New Year. May 2009 bring good tidings to the people of Ghana.

FELIX DONKOR,
PEER EDUCATOR, (UNFPA/PPAG/RELIGIOUS BODIES).

WHAT A COUNTRY!

“You can’t achieve anything in life if you don’t have a vision of what you want to do, who you to be and just as importantly how you want to get there.”
- Otumfour Osei- Tutu II
A lot has happened during the past week(s) and most of the events didn’t do the country any good. The heavy downpour that destroyed the stretch of the road from the 2nd overhead bridge at Kaneshie market to Mpamprom, and the damage to vehicles as well as public and private properties did really send a message across to every Ghanaian, especially officialdom that we as a people have a lot to do to make Ghana a safe country to live in.
Are the officials or the state agencies mandated to make sure Ghana is safe waiting for disaster to happen before they begin to do their work? Is NADMO ready for a serious disaster such as the one that happened last Friday, June 19? What happened to the decongestion exercise that the AMA boss promised Ghanaians and residence of Accra metropolis? Is the NCCE doing its work? Is the money allocated to them enough to enable them work effectively? There are serious questions to be asked and these serious questions also demands serious but simple answers.
Our cities are choked, especially Accra, Kumasi and to some extent Takoradi. Accra is very dirty and we the inhabitants aren’t helping matters. People throw rubbish, cook and sell everywhere. Structures are also put up indiscriminately and what makes it dangerous is that they are put up on water ways. Permits were given to people to enable them put up such buildings on water ways.
I also don’t understand why in the 21st century, we still construct open gutters in Ghana. Liquid waste in our gutters, especially water cannot flow because the gutters are filled with rubbish. I wasn’t surprised that, when it rained heavily on the 19th June, the water ended up on the streets, which killed 7 innocent people, destroyed vehicles and flooded stores, houses and rooms. For once, our politicians shouldn’t politicize issues concerning the decongestion exercise that the various mayors want to undertake. The Zoom lion workers are doing their best to keep the city clean but the sanitation situation hasn’t improved considerably. Structures that are built on water ways without permit should be demolished. Some do have permits and such buildings should be demolished and the owners compensated. Life is sweet and very precious. We cannot exchange the life of human being with anything. Moreover, God gave everyone 1 life and we should do our best to safeguard it.
Lest I forget, a Bible was found in one of the damaged cars at Kaneshie and it was opened to Isaiah 1:4. I opened my Good News Bible to read and it read: “You are doomed, you sinful nation, you corrupt and evil people! Your sins drag you down! You have rejected the Lord, the Holy God of Israel, and have turned your backs on him.
Verse 5: Why do you keep rebelling? Do you want to be punished even more?... Dear readers, I will entreat all to read the Holy book because there are lessons to be learnt. We should all pray for our country, our leaders and everyone in it.
I learnt Ghana wants to sell some of our water (I mean treated water) to our brothers and sisters in Togo, just like we used to export electricity to Togo, Burkina Faso, and Benin. I am not against exporting water to Togo but AVRL, managers of Ghana Water Company have not fulfilled their promise of supplying water to every part of the country. I however find it difficult to understand why they should think of supplying another country with our water. As I write today, places in Accra such as Adenta, Madina, North Kaneshie, Gbawe, Mallam etc, do not have access to affordable treated water. Other parts of the country do not have water flowing through their pipes. There are shortages in their operations and they should think of solving such problems and improve on supplying water to every corner of the country. As for exporting water, I beg to differ so please come again….

FELIX DONKOR
www.felixdonkor.blogspot.com
www.newsafrican.com

ROAD ACCIDENTS, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM

For the past weeks, the rate at which road accidents are rampant in Ghana is very alarming and many are those who have lost their lives. Others have also suffered various degrees of injuries. I was however shocked when I heard in the news bulletin of an Accra based radio station that, in the past three weeks, 103 lives have been lost due to road accidents.

Well, some religious leaders have attributed it to spiritual forces, other citizens have also attributed it politicians. I asked those who attributed it to politicians why they said that and to my amazement, since politicians want to win power, they will do any thing to get power, even if it is that they will have to visit ‘juju’. Anyway, they are entitled to their own views just as anyone else. I think the errors committed by drivers have also contributed to the high rate of accidents lately. However, our security personnel, especially the police, our policy makers, engineers and other road users are also to be blamed for these accidents on our road. As a result of the car accident that I had in 2004 when I was traveling from Cape Coast to Accra, I realized as a people, we have a lot to do to reduce and most importantly, prevent these fatal accidents. The Accra – Kumasi road, the Tema motorway and the Kasoa – Yamoransa are the ones that have claimed most lives due to road accidents. Drivers who ply this road, especially the commercial drivers, most often do not adhere to simple road laws. The few road signs found on the road are not observed by these drivers. Unnecessary overtaking especially on the curve and overspeeding are done by drivers who ply our roads. What is shocking is that, there are policemen found on these major roads. They collect bribes from these drivers openly without dealing with the culprits in the right way. Offenders are made to go away, only to cause accidents and kill innocent lives. Even though there are few bad nuts here and there, others are not helping matters. On the 22^nd of March, I traveled from Cape Coast to Accra. I thought it was safe to use Metro Mass Transit bus than these small buses that ply the road and to my surprise when we got Moree junction, the bus was stopped by a police man. Can u believe that, the driver did not have his seat belt on. The policeman spoke to the driver in a way that made him feel bad and he immediately put on his seat belt. It’s been reported many a times that, drivers who use the Cape Coast road do not put on seat belts and those who put them on only do so when they approach a police barrier. They then remove the seat belt after crossing the police checkpoint and at this point, I think passengers will have to report drivers who behave this way to the appropriate quarters for action to be taken against the drivers.

Over aged cars that are imported into the country also play a key role in these accidents. I was watching ‘Hot Issues’, a current affairs program on TV 3 and I was surprised to hear that, Willowbrook cars (aka space bus) were brought into the country in 1973. These buses continue to ply the Odorkor – Kaneshie – Circle road in the full glare of our officials. I wonder how they manage to get the approval of DVLA officials and other officers in charge of cars and roads in Ghana. Their brakes aren’t in the best of shape and the smoke that comes out of bus is nothing to write home about, let alone the health complications that the smoke have on us.

Furthermore, 207 cars that were originally made for cargo now have seats in them that carry precious human beings on our highways and these 207 cars are part of the cars that causes serious accidents on our roads.

People who have not gone through the full rigours of driving are given driving license. There are reported cases of people who get driving license the same day that they apply for it. Others also get theirs a day or two after. Road signs on our roads are inadequate and some do not have road signs at all. I traveled in 8 districts in the Western Region in February for a project that the office undertook and I must say that, the road network in Ghana is not encouraging at all. It is very dangerous to travel on these roads in Ghana. Street lights aren’t enough, coupled with other factors make the usage of the roads very dangerous.

I believe that, when more policemen are recruited to serve as traffic wardens, it’ll go a long way to help reduce accidents. They should be made to stand at relatively short distances to check on drivers to make sure that they do not overspeed. Before a bus takes off from let say Neoplan station at Circle to Kumasi, passengers should know the distance and the time the car is supposed to get to its destination. Passengers should tell drivers to stop overspeeding when they do so. Most passengers sit down unconcerned whilst drivers overspeed. What passengers fail to understand is that, most of time, the drivers escape unhurt in accidents.

We are now in the days where road accidents are rampant, thus all must help to ensure that our road s are safe for traveling. The MTTU, DVLA, Police, NCCE and other agencies must double their effort to reduce and prevent road accidents. People are really dying and we are all not excluded. It could be anyone else. Road accident doesn’t know the rich or the poor, ordinary person or VIP. Suzzy Williams, Kwame Owusu Ansah, Terry Bonchaka, Mr. Ferdinand Anyim (former special assistant to Jake Obetsebi Lamptey) and other public figures all died through road accidents. We need everyone around to help move the nation forward.

Till I come your way another time, I continue to remain yours truly

FELIX DONKOR (FEDOK)