Ghana: Press zooms in on celebration of Ghana’s performance at African Games, others

President Akufo-Addo’s celebration of Ghana’s historic medal achievements at the 13th African Games, Accra 2023 is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Monday.
The Graphic reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo expressed jubilation over Ghana’s historic medal achievements at the 13th African Games, Accra 2023.
Hosting the Games for the first time from March 2 to 23, Ghana secured its largest-ever medal haul, totaling 68 medals – 19 gold, 29 silver, and 20 bronze.
In a congratulatory message to the Ghanaian contingent on social media, President Akufo-Addo praised their exceptional performance and urged further investment in sports development to empower youth on the global stage.
Ghana’s success was particularly notable in soccer, with both the male U-20 and female U-20 teams clinching gold medals. The nation also shone in arm-wrestling, securing eight gold medals, alongside impressive performances in boxing and athletics.
The President lauded Ghana’s improved ranking, finishing sixth out of 53 participating nations, a significant leap from its 15th position in the 2019 Games in Rabat.
Expressing gratitude to the people of Ghana for their support in hosting the Games, President Akufo-Addo emphasized the importance of using sports as a tool for national development and unity.
The 13th African Games featured 5,000 athletes competing in 30 disciplines, including eight Olympic qualifying events and seven demonstration sports showcasing emerging trends like e-Sports, mixed martial arts, sambo, and scrabble.
Among the legacies of the Games is the newly constructed US$145 million Borteyman Sports Complex, equipped with world-class facilities including an Olympic-sized pool, competition pools, and warm-up areas.
The newspaper says that Ghana and Malawi have reached an agreement on a visa waiver regime for bearers of ordinary, diplomatic and service passports.
The agreement which took effect from February 7, 2024, intends to strengthen bilateral relations and existing cooperation between the two countries.
In a statement issued on Thursday, March 21, 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration stated that travellers can enter, leave and stay in both countries for 90 days in a calendar year as long as they do not work.
The Ministry has urged the public to take notice of the new visa waiver agreement.
The Graphic also reports that the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva has said that she is leaving Accra with a strong confidence that Ghana will stay the course of its three-year US$3 billion programme with the fund despite 2024 being an election year.
Ms Georgieva, who was on a three-day visit to Ghana, said during her visit, she received firm assurances from all authorities that the country would not deviate from the programme.
“I heard it from virtually everyone, I heard it from the President, the Vice-President, the Minister of Finance and the Central Bank Governor so I’m leaving Accra with a strong confidence that the programme will be implemented,” she said in response to a question from the Graphic Business at a press briefing in Accra.
She said she could confirm that the government was strongly committed to implementing the programme and go through with the agreed reforms.
After a difficult two years marked by high inflation which peaked at a 22-year high of 54.1 per cent, an unsustainable public debt which represented 93.5 per cent of GDP and a weakening currency, Ghana’s economy appears to be on the path of recovery, with macro-economic stability emerging once again.
Inflation dropped to 23.6 per cent in December 2023, GDP Growth rebounded strongly averaging 3.2 per cent in the first two quarters of 2023, the cedi has also fairly stabilised against the US dollar, depreciating by 6.4 per cent on a cumulative basis between February and November 2023, compared to 53.9 per cent over the same period in 2022.
All of this has been possible just months after implementing the three-year extended credit facility programme with the IMF.
The Chronicle says that one of Ghana’s biggest Oil Refineries, Sentuo Oil Refinery, is not only creating employment opportunities in Ghana, but is also determined to touch the lives of many through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Considered as one of the biggest employers in the country, the company has created over 1,000 direct jobs since its commissioning less than two months ago and is set to do more.
This has resulted in income for thousands of households, mostly Ghanaians, who constitute 95% of the workforce of the company; both skilled and unskilled.
The management has hinted of plans to broaden its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in order to touch lives of many within its operational areas, from what it started off with.
SOL CSR would touch on areas of education, health, infrastructure and capacity building considered as critical in transforming the livelihood of society.
It produces high-quality finished gasoline (petrol), aviation kerosene, diesel, asphalt and lubricating base oil with the over 1,000 job opportunities.
Other products are solvent oil, polypropylene, liquefied petroleum gas, ammonium sulfide, sulfuric acid, sulphur and other by-products.
Sentuo Oil Refinery was conceived from the Chinese government’s Belt and Road Development Strategy for the oil and gas industry in China & Africa.
Currently, two phases of the project are being undertaken and when fully completed and commissioned, 5 million tons of all types of crude assays can be refined per annum, with an output of 3.2 million metric tons of refined petroleum products such as, gasoline, kerosene, and diesel of high quality above the Euro IV standard.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at the commissioning earlier this year, said the project was a symbol of the determination of the country to shape its destiny, strengthen the economy, reduce its dependence on foreign oil and inspire investment in its economy.
He said it was also a step towards securing the country’s future and a demonstration of cooperation between the private and public sectors that had enabled investment to flourish.
GIK/APA