DIGITAL NO. 100830 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020
DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
• Nii Kotei
Dzani
• Hon. Francis
Addai-Nimoh
• Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, NDC
National Chairman
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CONTENT
ANNIVERSARIES
Independence Day — Fri, 6 Mar 2020
Good Friday — Fri, 10 Apr 2020
Easter Monday — Mon, 13 Apr 2020
Labour Day — Fri, 1 May 2020
DAILY HERITAGE DIGITAL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020
Published by: EIB
Network / Heritage
Communications Ltd.
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EOCO freezes Kotei
Dzani’s assets
BY KOBINA WELSING
THE ECONOMIC
and Organised
Crime Office
(EOCO) has
frozen the assets of
Council of State member and
founder of now defunct First
Trust Savings and Loans and
Ideal Finance, NiiKoteiDzani.
His assets include 41 bank
accounts of Ideal Finance, vehicles
and landed properties.
MrDzani went to the High
Court for an order to set aside
an invitation extended to him
by EOCO on November 8,
2019, as well as an order to restrain
EOCO from disrupting
his activities without lawful excuse
and due process of the
law.
But, in its ruling on February
7, 2020, the court, presided
over by Justice AfiaSerwaaAsareBotwe,
said the application
had no merit.
“The application is hereby
dismissed,” she stated.
Mr Dzani had argued that
EOCO was essentially harassing
him in a way that made
‘nonsense’ of his status as a
member of the Council of
State.
But the court presided over
by Justice AfiaSerwahAsare-
Botwe, ruled in favour of
• Nii Kotei Dzani
EOCO that its dealings with
MrDzani had been fair and at
all times acted within the mandate
of its establishing law.
Dzani, after the application
had been dismissed, filed a notice
of appeal against
the decision of the
High Court.
The applicant also
filed an interlocutory
injunction against
EOCO, seeking, among
other reliefs, an order
to stop EOCO from
investigating him,
pending the final determination
of the appeal;
restrain EOCO from
arresting him and restrain
EOCO from harassing
him.
According to the
judgment of the High
Court, the case for the
applicant was that in or
about August 2019, the
Bank of Ghana (BoG)
revoked the licence of
Ideal Finance and
placed it on receivership.
On November 11,
2019,Dzani received a
letter from EOCO
inviting him to avail
himself on November 13, 2019
for questioning in relation to alleged
tax evasion and money
laundering, but he asked his
lawyers to write to the anti-graft
The applicant also
filed an
interlocutory
injunction against
EOCO, seeking,
among other
reliefs, an order to
stop EOCO from
investigating him,
pending the final
determination of
the appeal;
restrain EOCO
from arresting him
and restrain EOCO
from harassing
him.
agency requesting a change of
date, as he was attending an official
assignment in his capacity
as a member of the Council of
State.
The applicant stated that on
November 14, 2019, in the
company of his lawyer, he went
to the EOCO office, where he
had to wait for about three-anda-half
hours before he was attended
to.
Court rejects Ofosu-Ampofo request
BY MUNTALLA INUSAH
muntalla.inusah@dailyheritage.com.gh
THE COMMERCIAL Division of
the Accra High Court presided
over by Justice Samuel Asiedu has
dismissed an application on notice
for stay of proceedings pending an
appeal by the National Chairman
of the National Democratic
Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-
Ampofo.
The NDC chairman, who has
been charged together with
KwekuBoahen, a national
communications officerof the
party, with conspiracy to cause
harm and assault on a public
officer, was appealing against the
court's decision to admit into
evidence the witness statement of
Tony Lithur, counsel for the applicant,
said that decision was against the
practice direction even though they
had the opportunity to cross-examine
the witness on it.
one Benjamin Nana AmpofoAgyei,
the first prosecution witness the
State had called.
It was the applicant's case that
the court adopting into evidence
the witness statement which had
been disowned constituted a
miscarriage of justice, and the
court erred in that process.
Tony Lithur, counsel for the
applicant, said that decision was
• CONTINUE ON PAGE 5
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DAILY HERITAGE DIGITAL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020
03
Tension at Asante
Manpong NPP
• Over Addai-Nimoh’s nomination controversy
NEWS DESK REPORT
THERE ISan uneasy calm in
the Asante Mampongconstituency
of the New Patriotic
Party as reports are
emerging that the constituency
Chairman, Luther Asare,has refused
to accept the nomination forms of
Francis Addai-Nimoh.
The former lawmaker of the area
had gone to submit his nomination
forms to contest the upcoming NPP
constituency primaries in April, but
was turned away at the constituency
headoffice in Mampong.
Constituency executives at Asante
Mampong in the Ashanti Region
have rejected nomination forms submitted
by former MP and presidential
hopeful, AddaiNimo. According
to Ultimate FM’s Isaac Bediako, the
forms were submitted by a delegation
of five, including supporters of
the aspirant.
The chairman of the elections
committee, MrGyesiNimako,
said he is blind and
cannot read the writings on the
forms.
The constituency chairman
added the forms could not be
accepted because the incumbent
Member of Parliament has informed
him that he and his followers
were on their way to
submit his form so MrNimoh’s
nominations could not be accepted
until Thursday.
The former MP was denied
access to the forms by the constituency
Chairman, claiming
the forms had run out of stock
on the very day the forms were
given to the constituency executives
at a meeting between regional
and constituency
executives of the party.
This forced the aspirant to
pick his nomination at the regional
office of the party in Kumasi.
Meanwhile of supporters of Addai
•
Nimoh and those of the MP for the area,
Kweku Ampratwum Sarpong have been
involved a free for all at the party’s constituency
officer. The fight has resulted in
five people getting seriously injured.
GHOne TV back on air
YOUR CREDIBLE and
unbiased news and entertainment
channel GHOne
television has resumed
regular programming,
starting with the Morning
Show GH Today
It comes on the back
of reports of staff having
impasse with management
over some grievances.
Starrfm.com.gh sources
say management has met
the staff over their concerns
and resolution is
being discussed at the
highest level of the company.
The Accra-based
GHone TV has won several
awards through its reporters
since the EIB
Network purchased and
transformed it from an
entertainment brand to a
mixture of news, current
affairs and entertainment
station.
Starrfm.com.gh sources
say management has
met the staff over their
concerns and resolution
is being discussed at the
highest level of the
company.
Digital February 20, 2020.qxp_Layout 1 2/19/20 4:54 PM Page 2
DAILY HERITAGE DIGITAL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020
WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
Community 2 Shell service
station goes solar
VIVO ENERGY
Ghana, a Shell licensee,
has reopened
its second
solar-powered Shell
service station in
Community 2 in Tema.
The station is the second after
Airport City Shell to be powered
by solar energy to reduce the
company’s carbon footprint and
ensure energy efficiency in its operations.
In an interview, the Managing
Director of Vivo Energy Ghana,
Mr. Ben Hassan Ouattara, said
the initiative was in line with the
Sustainable Development Goals 7
and 13 and that the company was
committed to developing a number
of solutions to reduce energy
usage impact on the environment.
“We work hard, in partnership
with Shell, to develop more efficient
products that reduce our impact
on the environment. Our
Shell Fuel Save improves combustion,
boosts efficiency and saves
fuel. Shell lubricants 5W30 and
5W40 are also made from base oil
•Mr Ben Hassan Ouattara (2nd L), Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, cutting the tape with the
help of some industry stakeholders at the opening ceremony
created from natural gas with virtually
none of the impurities
found in crude oil,” he said.
Reopening the station, Mr.
Ouattara said the new Community
2 Shell service station, which
models the company’s growth and
modernisation plan, has a twopump
island canopy with a modern
lube bay, a semi-automatic car
wash and a tyre centre.
Additionally, the station has
the new shop format welcome to
provide a warm, delightful and
modern shopping experience to
its customers. It also has the welcome
bakery under the management
of Bakeshop Classics, to
provide customers with quick
breakfast, snack and other exciting
products.
Mr. Ouattara reaffirmed Vivo
Energy’s commitment to constantly
provide an exceptional retail
experience at Shell service
stations, reaching more people
with better products and services.
The Chief Inspector, Director,
IM and HSSE at the National Petroleum
Authority (NPA), Mrs.
Esther Anku, commended Vivo
Energy Ghana for setting and
maintaining high standards in the
industry, which is evident in its
operations.
&Env.
Let’s avoid indiscriminate
coughing in public, GHS alerts
THE GHANA
Health Service
(GHS) has cautioned
Ghanaians
against indiscriminate
coughing in
public, as the Service heightens
surveillance to avert any possible
outbreak of the coronavirus disease
in the country.
“Spitting and coughing indiscriminately
in public places must
be controlled to avert any outbreak
and spread of the coronavirus,”
says Dr. Kofi Issah, the
Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional
Director of the GHS.
Speaking at the opening session
of an annual meeting of the National
Health Insurance Authority
(NHIA) in Sunyani to review operations
in 2019, Dr. Issah implored
the general public to report
suspected case of the virus to the
GHS.
He indicated that though the
GHS and its partners had heightened
surveillance, concerted efforts
were required from all
stakeholders to make the country
alert, respond positively and to
forestall any possible outbreak of
the deadly- flu-like virus.
Dr. Issah advised health workers
to treat their patients with
courtesy, saying, “Under no circumstances
should the sick remain
at the mercy of the health
worker.”
Mr. Joseph Mensah, the Bono,
Bono East and Ahafo Regional
Director of the NHIA, said the
NHIS chalked up great success
last year and commended the staff
for their efforts.
He said plans were far advanced
for four additional offices
of the Scheme to be opened in the
three regions, and urged the staff
to intensify public education on
the electronic renewal of membership.
Mr. Mensah said the NHIA
was aware of many of the challenges
confronting the Scheme
and assured the meeting that it
would soon pay service providers
all outstanding claims.
“Spitting and
coughing indiscriminately
in public
places must be
controlled to avert
any outbreak and
spread of the coronavirus,”
says Dr.
Kofi Issah, the
Bono, Bono East
and Ahafo Regional
Director of
the GHS.
Digital February 20, 2020.qxp_Layout 1 2/19/20 4:54 PM Page 3
WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
NEWS
DAILY HERITAGE DIGITAL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020
Information ministry holds end of
year durbar, awards ceremony
THE MINISTER of
Information, Kojo
Oppong Nkrumah,
has admonished
staff of the Ministry
and the Information
Services Department to add value
to themselves and the institutions
they work for and not rely solely
on their institutions to do that for
them.
He said nobody would come
from outside to transform the
Ministry and the Department if
the staff were not willing to help
do that.
“Not even management can
do that alone without the output
of staff ”, he added.
The Minister made these remarks
at the end-of-year staff durbar
and awards ceremony at the
Ministry, which saw Mr Elikem
Kofigah of the Ministry of Information
emerging the overall best
worker for the Ministry of Information
and Madam Josephine
Brown, a secretary of the Information
Services Department,
emerging as the overall best
worker for the Department and
winning for themselves an HP
Probook 15 laptop each.
The Minister implored the staff
to focus on important things in
2020 and not dwell on complaining
at every opportunity they got
but should focus on the positives.
He added that in 2020 no staff
member should be self-centred
but pay attention to the needs and
challenges of their colleagues. It is
only then, when a colleague is
going through some challenges it
would be recognized and if any
help has to be given, it is done to
avoid any unfortunate eventuality.
He thanked all Staff and Management
for the work they did to
make the Ministry and Department
succeed in 2019.
He promised to do his
best to make the ISD
transformational agenda
come to fruition.
In all, six staff members,
three from the ministry
and three form ISD
won various awards for
their outstanding performances.
The 1st Runner-up,
Mr. Mawuli Segbefia
from the ministry and
Madam Phyllis Nunoo
from the ISD won a 40
Sumsung television each
with the 2nd Runners-up,
Madam Gifty Ofosu-Fiator
and Joseph Oninku
from the Ministry and
ISD respectfully winning
for themselves Nasco
medium-size fridges.
The staff members
were glad that for the
first time they were experiencing
such an event
and were happy for the
initiative which would propel them
to give their best in all they do.
Source:
Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5F
M
Court adjourns
‘kidnappers’ case again
BY EMMANUEL OHENE GYAN
A TAKORADI District Magistrate
court has once again
adjourned a case in which
two Nigerians are standing
trial for allegedly kidnapping
and murdering four girls
from Western Region’s capital
city of Takoradi to March
19, 2020.
On February 5, the State
Attorney, Adeliade Kobiri-
Woode, dropped the previous
charge of kidnapping against
the two accused persons,
John Orji and Sam Udoetuk
Wills, and rather preferred a
fresh charge of murder.
Police prosecutor Chief
Inspector Bernard Paa Arhinsah
told the court presided
over by His Worship Michael
Ampadu to adjourn the case
to allow the Attorney General’s
Office conclude a bill of
indictment for committal proceedings
to commence.
Raymond Archer’s company
demolition act of vindictiveness
• Says NDC
BY KWAME ACHEAMPONG
THE NATIONAL Democratic Congress
(NDC) has condemned the
demolition of Raymond Archer’s
company by officials of the National
Security.
According to the NDC, the action
was an act of “cowardice and vindictiveness”
by the Akufo-Addo administration.
Officials of the National Security
Sunday night stormed the premises of
factories owned by former journalist
Raymond Archer at the Trade Fair
Centre in Accra and demolished
them.
Several properties of Universal
Labels & Packaging Co. Ltd and
Colour Planet Limited were destroyed
by the state security agency.
Speaking to Starrfm.com.gh, a
broken Archer said he was shocked
by the action of the National Security.
“I have occupied this facility since
the time of Kufuor. I have been here
for more than 10years. They came to
me and said I should move out because
they want to redesign the trade
fair [site]. I told them I cannot just
move the company out like that and
the matter is still in court. I filed an
appeal to an initial ruling by a court
that they take over the facility,” he
said.
He further lamented: “We built a
beautiful factory that employs over
120 workers. There are a lot of products
we are doing now we are the
only factory in Africa that can do this
kind of works. So to see our government
target a business like this and
break it down midnight is really unacceptable.
“We are citizens here. How do you
destroy one’s business because you
want to bring another person’s business
using politics? If you destroy my
business with politics, then what? If I
also get power, I also break it down?
Where did we go as a people?
“ And this business has nothing to
do with politics. In fact, when I was
doing this business, I specifically decided
not to do government projects
purposely because I didn’t want the
politics in my business. Every work
we’re doing here is for the private sector.”
WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
06
DAILY HERITAGE DIGITAL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020
Editorial
Dredge waterways to stem flooding
THERE ARE indications that
the rains will set in any moment
from now and flooding in floodprone
areas across the country,
particularly Accra, Koforidua
and Kumasi, may occur.
The truth is that in other
jurisdictions settlements are
planned as plots for houses,
schools, roads and other
imaginable facilities are
demarcated long before
structures are raised, making it
difficult for individuals and even
organisations, both state and
private, to raise structures
anywhere.
Meanwhile in our case, it may
not be wrong to say there is
absence of planning or planning
is haphazard, if we think there is
some. And the blame can be put
on state agencies mandated to
ensure planning of settlements
in the country because their
inaction in particular has
resulted in all this environmental
mess.
Do we then have to live with
the mess forever and look on
while those who unfortunately
bear its brunt suffer? The
answer is an emphatic NO. This
means while the individual can
do little, the State can do much
more to save the situation. And
some of the ways to contain
flooding are construction of
gutters, dredging and widening
ofwaterways that carry
floodwaters into the sea or any
other safe water body.
In Accra, for instance, the
Odaw river carries most of the
floodwaters into the sea so it
becomes very imperative the
Odaw is dredged regularly and
speedily too. It is also important
that its course must be widened
and at least its banks concreted
just as former President J. A.
Kufuor did from Adabraka
through Alajo to Abofu.
If Odaw and major
waterways in the country are
treated this way, flooding would
reduce even if it is not
eliminated.
Meanwhile those living along
the Odaw, particularly inBohye,
Haatso, Dome Pillar 2, Christian
Village and Abofu, are appealing
to the government to, at least,
dredge the stretch of the Odaw
running through their
communities to save them from
perennial flooding this year.
Court rejects Ofosu-
Ampofo’s request
• READ FROM PAGE 2
against the practice direction
even though they had the
opportunity to cross-examine the
witness on it.
He, however, prayed the court
to stay its proceedings while they
test the court's decision at the
Court of Appeal.
Mr Asiamah Sampong, Chief
State Attorney, while opposing to
the application, said the witness
statement was made available
during the case management
conference and wondered why
the applicant did not raise any
objection.
He said the application was
frivolous and unmeritorious and
prayed the Court to dismiss the
application.
The court, presided over by
•Kweku Boahen, Deputy Communications
Officer, NDC (L) and Samuel Ofosu-
Ampofo, NDC National Chairman (R)
Justice Samuel Asiedu, after
hearing the application from
Tony Lithur, ruled that the
applicant did not disclose any
exceptional circumstances for the
grant of the application.
The court further ruled
thatthe grant of the application
would unnecessarily impede the
expeditious trial of the case.
The court further said an
application on notice for stay of
proceedings did not constitute a
stay and therefore the application
seeking stay pending the
determination of the Court of
Appeal is refused.
It would be recalled that
Benjamin Nana AmpofoAgyei,
the first witness the State had
called, denied knowledge of the
content of the statement
prosecution tendered, even
though he signed it.
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WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
Arts&Ent.
DAILY HERITAGE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020
‘Womba Africa’ made Ghana proud
at American Got Talent audition
h
NINE MEMBERS of
the traditional
African drumming
group Womba
Africa had just endured
a six-hour
flight from Ghana to Cairo followed
by a 12-hour flight to John F.
Kennedy International Airport.
Now, immigration officials at JFK
were detaining them. “How are you
going to survive here?” the group
was asked.
The group had one-year cultural
visas, little money in their pockets and
two goals. One was to earn enough
money with their music to not only
support themselves but also to send
to family in Africa. The other: to
compete on the television show
“America’s Got Talent.”
Yes, the campy American talent
competition show that has become a
springboard for every sort of performer
— from singers
and magicians to comedians and ventriloquists
— is wildly popular in
Ghana, said Fredrick Quaye Odai, the
group’s 29-year-old founder. “If you
don’t see it on TV, you see it on
YouTube.”
Most of the men had come from
humble circumstances. Most had parents
who paid the fees for them to attend
high school, but three, including
Quaye, did not. (Free high school in
Ghana began in 2017.)
Quaye had been on his own since
the age of 16, when his mother died;
his father had died earlier. For three
months, Quaye was homeless. Now
and then he would scrape together
enough money to rent a room in a
guest house and sleep.
Quaye managed to save up the
equivalent of $200 to buy a sewing
shop. It was a plywood box, the size
of a small room. He divided it in half,
selling the clothing he made on one
side and sleeping on the other.
When the shop fell apart, he traveled
all over Ghana, selling television
antennas from a cart. He often
slept outside to save money.
Quaye started playing music casually
in 2010. “It filled my soul with
joy,” he said.
In 2016, he founded Womba
Africa. The group worked on their
music full time, eventually playing
larger shows. Every night for a year,
Quaye reached out via the internet
until he finally found people to help
them take their music to the United
States. The group’s name reflected his
drive.
“Womba means ‘we are coming,’”
he said. “We are coming with something
new. We are coming with energy.
There’s some power push in that
word.”
At JFK, the men produced documents
showing they had bookings to
perform, though not enough to cover
the living expenses for nine men for a
year. The questioning dragged on for
three hours, according to Quaye.
Somehow, the men made their
case and were granted entry into the
country. Quaye wasn’t surprised.
“When you think negative you get
negative, and when you think positive
you get positive, so nothing is impossible,”
Quaye said. “Everything is possible.”
They had made it in. But their
challenges were just beginning.
Welcome to America?
After retrieving their luggage,
which contained only clothing, costumes
and musical instruments, they
went to board a bus for the sevenhour
ride to Rochester. But they were
told that some of their drums were
too large. The men had to leave their
large drums behind in the cargo area
at JFK.
They had chosen Rochester as
home base because they knew one
person there.
Love Borketey, a Ghanaian dancer,
met Shanna Fiorucci, an American,
when they both were living in Ithaca.
When his visa expired, they spent
2½ years apart, then married in
Ghana. They are now living in
Rochester; he is an unofficial member
of Womba Africa while he awaits documents
that will allow him to work.
A week after Womba Africa arrived,
two members returned to New
York City to retrieve the drums.
The Ghanaians actually found it
easier to move around in Manhattan
than their home city of Accra, where
vehicles and humans move tightly together
in the same space. But navigating
proved difficult. In Accra, they
would find their way by landmark —
go to the tree, turn left, look for the
pink building — but in New York
City the buildings all looked the same.
They had to use addresses, which they
weren’t accustomed to in Ghana.
The drums retrieved, they found
someone at the airport to drive them
to Rochester at a cost of $500.
Then came delays in receiving Social
Security
cards,
which they
needed to get paid
for their work.
Another hurdle: Rochester’s climate.
On the day they arrived, in October,
the temperatures were in the 50s,
but the men were accustomed to yearround
highs in the 80s. Shanna’s
mother, Anna Fiorucci, came to their
aid, collecting and delivering coats,
clothing, bedding and supplies from
her local community in Rush.
Within weeks, an early cold snap
brought a dusting of snow. Delighted,
the men headed outdoors to take
smiling selfies to share with people
back in Ghana. But the men would
come to find the snow as an obstacle,
and would forget to dress appropriately
for the weather.
In mid-November, Quaye and
Stephen Nanakojo Asare needed to
return to New York City to retrieve a
shipment of a dozen small drums. To
get to the bus station, they biked two
miles in a snowstorm that dropped
11.3 inches on the city. They didn’t
wear boots.
“It was hell,” Quaye said, laughing.
“There was nowhere to hide so we
have to just keep going.”
Again, in New York, there was
trouble
getting
their
drums
on the
bus. But
this time,
two workers
and the
manager were
from Ghana.
Speaking to them in
Twi, Quaye eventually persuaded
them to let the pair board the
bus.
Others would soon join in Womba
Africa’s quest.
From landlord to Womba
kin
Aaron Rubin and Kate Huggler-
Rubin were on a cross-country bike
trip when they got a call from Shanna,
their tenant and next-door neighbor.
The couple owns many buildings in
the 19th Ward, a racially, ethnically
and economically diverse neighborhood
in southwest Rochester.
Shanna told them about a music
group from Ghana that was on their
way to Rochester and looking for
housing.
“That sounds fun,” Aaron remembers
thinking. He told her that he
would have space for them.
Once the group arrived, he was
less happy to learn that they did not
have enough money for rent or even a
security deposit. But he soon became
curious about the men.
When he saw them walking down
Genesee Street carrying huge jugs of
water on their shoulders, he stopped
to ask them what they were doing.
They responded that they were purchasing
their drinking water. He told
them they could drink from the tap. It
was a welcome surprise to the Ghanaians
— the tap water back home
was not drinkable. He also taught
them how to use a washer and dryer.
He was puzzled to find buckets in
the men’s bathtub. The men explained
that in Ghana, most would bathe by
pouring water over themselves and
then, wearing only a towel,
would carry the bathing water to a
central spot for drainage.
The men purchased cellphones for
keeping in touch with family and
friends in Ghana, but they didn’t have
access to the internet. They took to
ringing the doorbell of the Rubins’
home, asking to use their internet.
“I’d just come home and there’s
like three guys on our front porch,”
Aaron said. “We’ve got nice chairs out
there and they’re sitting down relaxing.
I’d bring them food and stuff.”
The men started doing odd jobs
for Aaron to help cover the rent. He,
in turn, secured several donated bicycles
from R Community Bikes. When
they needed a lift, he would drive
them. On one trip, they passed a dead
deer on the side of the road. The men
asked Aaron to stop so they could
skin it; they needed a hide to repair
some of their drums. Aaron kept
driving.
Within a week, Aaron and his
business partner, Mick Castellucci,
were using their company’s box truck
to transport the band to gigs.
Quaye said he’s grateful for the assistance
from the Rubins and Mick.
“They’ve been so good to us,” he
said. “They’ve been wonderful. It was
a miracle to us.”
They named Aaron their U.S. manager
and “Womba kin.” Mick, who
has helped them negotiate
contracts, has been given the honorary
title of asafoatse — warrior
— because “he fights for us.”
Drumming anywhere and
everywhere
Music is part of the fabric of life
in Ghana. Even fufu, an iconic dish
made with cassava and unripe plantains,
is mixed and pounded with a
distinctive POOM-pa POOM-pa
sound.
Like the pounding of fufu,
Womba Africa’s music is defined by
rhythm. Julian Bortey Kwandahor,
Raymond Odai Laryea, Quaye and the
others play various drums and handheld
percussion instruments that build
the backbone for soft, melodic tunes
featuring Stephen on flute and Sampson
Okoe Ofori on xylophone.
Louder pieces feature joyful, spirited
drumming on large, resonant
drums called fontomfrom, which send
beats pulsing through your
body. Samuel “Artist” Odaikwesi
Laryea leads call-and-response songs
and adds loud, birdlike calls to the
higher-energy numbers.
Reporter Tracy Schuhmacher focuses on
Rochester’s food and drink scene and human
interest stories. Email her at TracyS@Gannett.com.
Follow her on Twitter or Instagram
as @RahChaChow.
DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020
Partey propels
Atletico Madrid
to pip Liverpool
MIDFIELDER
THOMAS Partey
produced a man-ofthe-match
performance
as Atletico
Madrid took a first leg advantage
against Liverpool in the UEFA
Champions League last 16.
The tireless midfielder was exceptional
in the heart of midfield, winning
and distributing balls effortless
in a battle that saw him get the better
of Liverpool's midfielders.
Saul Niguez netted the only goal
of the game after just four minutes
when Atletico took advantage of a
slow Liverpool in the early minutes.
The Spanish midfielder was quick
to fire home after a corner came off
the boot of Fabinho.
The Reds, however, had their own
chances, which fell to Mohamed
Salah, who headed wide, and Captain
Jordan Henderson, whose hooked
shot just missed Jan Oblak's far post.
The win gives the Rojiblancos an
important lead following a masterclass
defensive performance and will
travel to England for the second leg
on March 11.
•Thomas Partey
King Faisal seek
compensation from GFA
• After being moved to Obuasi
THE OWNER and bankroller
of King Faisal, Alhaji Grusah,
has written to the Ghana Football
Association seeking compensation
after being moved to
Obuasi to honour its match
against Legon Cities.
King Faisal, who play their
matches at the Baba Yara
Sports Stadium, had to find a
new venue after the National
Sports Authority
on Monday issued
a statement that
the Baba Yara
Sports Stadium
has been shut
down for renovation
works.
Due to this,
King Faisal, who
were to host
Legon Cities on
Wednesday at the
Baba Yara Sports
Stadium in the
Ghana Premier
League midweek
fixture, have had
their match
rescheduled to
Thursday at a different
venue.
According to Grusah, after
the stadium closure, he submitted
a letter to the country's
football body telling them that
he has adopted Assin Fosu as
its new home venue but the
GFA has chosen a different
venue for him.
Speaking to Happy FM, he
indicated that honouring its
home matches at the Len Clay
•Alhaji Grusah
Stadium in Obuasi will come
at a greater cost to him, hence
seeking compensation.
"I have written to the GFA
that I prefer Assin Fosu but
they asked us to play our game
against Legon Cities FC in
Obuasi. Just because I want
the betterment of Ghana football,
we will play Legon Cities
FC in Obuasi for just this
week," Grusah told
Happy FM.
Is the Dewu park or
Liberty park better than
the park in Assin Fosu? I
need compensation because
I will be travelling
outside Kumasi so I will
incur extra expenses
We will get help and
accommodations free in
Assin Fosu, unlike
Obuasi. That place is like
a home to us so we will
be comfortable there.
The rescheduled
match between King
Faisal and Legon Cities
comes off at the Len
Clay Stadium on Thursday,
February 20 at 3:00
pm.
Kotoko worried over
Kumasi Stadium closure
— Kotoko coach Maxwell Konadu
ASANTE KOTOKO
coach Maxwell Konadu
says the shut-down of
the Baba Yara Sports
Stadium for renovation
works could derail their
title chances.
The Porcupines,
who play their matches
at the Baba Yara Sports
Stadium, have been
asked to find a new
venue after the National
Sports Authority
on Monday issued a
statement that the Baba
Yara Sports Stadium
have been shut down
for renovation works.
The Kumasi-based
club last Sunday finished serving
a 3-match Baba Yara Stadium ban
slapped by the Ghana Football
Association following a shooting
incident in their match day 3
game against Berekum Chelsea.
Out of the 3 games, they won
one and drew twice and Maxwell
Konadu said playing without the
12th man proved a little bit difficult
for them.
According to him, after serving
the Baba Yara Stadium ban
and looking forward to seeing
their supporters troop to the stadium
in their numbers and destabilise
their opponents, then they
were dealt a major blow with the
•Kotoko Coach, Maxwell Konadu
stadium closure.
The former Blacks Stars assistant
coach indicated that he is
disappointed with the Stadium
closure and admitted the club's
title ambitions have been dealt a
major blow.
"We weren't happy when we
heard the news but also renovating
the infrastructure is a good
call since it will benefit all of us
in the long run."
"It's a bitter pill to swallow but
we have accepted our fate and
looking for a new venue. The
change of venue could derail our
title chances but we can still win
it."
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