A Teacher of the school, who is also the Assembly Member of the Adansi Electoral area in Asuom, Abrefa Busia, told Citi News that no casualties were recorded even though some students lost all their belongings.

“It was around 8:40am, when I realized that smoke was coming out of the boys dormitory, so I quickly called a guy and we jumped the wall into the dormitory, we realized that 3 of the rooms were in flames. The students were at church as at that time, so we hurriedly rushed to the church premises to alert them and called them back, we managed to bring down the fire to about 70 percent before the fire service came around from Kade and they managed to quench the fire.”

He disclosed that over 30 students have been badly affected as they lost all their belongings to the fire.

“One room has been burnt completely to the extent that the plastering on the wall has started falling, it’s a storey building and one room on the ground floor has been burnt completely.

“Two of the students who tried to salvage the remains of their belongings had some few bruises and minor burns. As we speak, 30 students were affected hugely because they had all their belongings burnt with the exception of what they wore to church this morning and 20 of them had their things partially burnt.”

The Assembly Member cum teacher said the school authorities together with officials from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), had taken some measures to house the affected students.

“The school administration together with NADMO, has given the students two rooms which serve as classrooms for them to occupy in the meantime, as they put in place other measures to house them permanently.”

Two suspects arrested 

Mr. Abrefa Busia also revealed that, a student and a former student of the school have been arrested in connection with the fire incident.

“A suspect has been apprehended, yesterday [Saturday], there was a ‘homos’ [An event used to welcome first year students], day for the first years so this suspect was an old student who came to the school and could not go back.”

“He slept in the dormitory without the knowledge of the headmaster, so when the incident happened the headmaster identified him and asked him not to go anywhere until the police comes to conduct their investigations, but the old student upon hearing the police took to his heels, board a taxi and was about leaving the town so Police at Kade were informed about it and they arrested him. As we speak, he is in police custody together with the student who invited him over, the student who invited him happens to be his school son as at the time he was in the school.”

The police have  thus commenced investigations into the cause of the fire.

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku & Naa Kwaama Siaw-Marfo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Renard replaces Sabri Lamouchi, who left after the World Cup, and returns to international coaching after nine months with French club Sochaux.

The 45-year-old had two spells as Zambia coach and led them to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012.

His success on the continent helped him to get the Elephants job ahead of compatriot Frederic Antonetti and Portuguese coach Manuel Jose.

Renard’s first task will be to qualify Ivory Coast for next year’s Nations Cup in Morocco.

It was against his new team that Renard enjoyed his greatest triumph as it was Ivory Coast who were beaten on penalties by Zambia in the Nations Cup final two years ago.

He stepped down as boss of Chipolopolo in 2013, but his move into club management was unsuccessful as he was unable to prevent Sochaux from being relegated to Ligue 2 in May.

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Source: BBC Sport

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Four Frenchmen, including the former international Luis Fernández, have been named on a shortlist that is more of a longlist of five prospective candidates to take over as coach of the Ivory Coast.

Francis Gillot, Frédéric Antonetti, Hervé Renard and Fernández are joined on the shortlist by Manuel José, the Portuguese coach who won four African Champions League titles during his time at Egyptian club Al Ahly.

The shortlist was put together from a list of 37 prospective candidates, unusually all named on the Ivorian Football Federation’s website.

A decision on the new coach must now be taken by the federation’s executive committee, which has previously promised to announce its final choice by the end of the month.

Fernández, who won 60 caps and a European Championship with France, last worked as national team coach of Israel but has been a radio pundit for the last three years.

Renard won the African Nations Cup with Zambia two years ago but last season failed to save Sochaux from relegation from Ligue 1 after being brought in for the second half of the campaign.

Gillot was coach of Bordeaux last season while Antonetti has had a long career as a coach in Ligue 1, most recently with Stade Rennes.

The new Ivory Coast coach will take over from Sabri Lamouchi, whose two-year contract was not renewed after the country failed to reach the second round at the World Cup in Brazil following a surprising defeat by Greece.

In September, the Ivorians begin the qualifiers for next year’s Nations Cup in Morocco.

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Source: The Guardian

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Lamouchi also admitted he was gambling on the Everton striker Lacina Traore, who has played just one minute of English Premier League soccer since February.

Toure’s fitness is an issue after the midfielder was taken off as Manchester City clinched the English Premier League title with a 2-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday.

Lamouchi also said Toure needs a rest after a long season.

“He’ll have to rest and recuperate. He didn’t come off because he was tired, he was substituted because he had a small injury. It was due to fatigue,” Lamouchi said.

“We’re hoping that it wasn’t too serious. He’ll need to get treatment. Yaya will need to recuperate from his long season, his busy season.

“With a good World Cup, I think Yaya will be a serious contender for the Ballon d’Or,” Lamouchi added, citing the annual FIFA award for the world’s best player usually awarded in December. Toure has been crowned African Footballer of the Year for the last three years but lost out to Luis Suarez for the Footballer of the Year prize in England.

“We need a determined Yaya, a Yaya that is physically at 100 percent, psychologically at 100 percent to first of all take us to the second round,” Lamouchi said.

“But it’s clear that if Ivory Coast hopes to go far it will depend upon a successful World Cup from Yaya Toure.” Lamouchi said Drogba’s recovery from recent groin surgery, carried out in Qatar, was being closely followed.

“Not having him on the pitch is of course worrying for everyone,” Lamouchi said. “Everyone knows the winning, competitive, champion’s spirit that Didier could bring out of the players during the World Cup.”

Lamouchi also explained the decision to include Traore in a preliminary squad of 28 for the World Cup, which he announced on Tuesday, even though the forward has been sidelined by a hamstring problem.

“Lacina Traore is the big question mark. Everyone agrees he is an incredible talent, but this guy played very little this year. “But we are going to need everyone. I had to come up with a list that would allow me a number of options in case some of them have to withdraw.”

The Ivorians are due to prepare for the World Cup at a training base in the U.S. At the finals they are in Group C, alongside Japan, Colombia and Greece.

Source: AP

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The 23-year old plays for Fortuna Dusseldorf in the German second tier and is a Norwegian-born Ivorian.

Cote d’Ivoire coach Sabri Lamouchi  published his 28-man list, but said he could bring in two more players before drawing the final list of 23 by the beginning of June.

The regulars are there: captain Didier Drogba, whose team-mate at Galatasaray Emmanuel Eboue and Tiene Siaka of French side Montpellier were not included due to technical reasons, according to the coach.

Team preps

The Elephants be in the USA from May 20 until June 6, where they will engage in two friendlies with Bosnia (May 30) and El Salvador (June 4).

The Ivorians share Group C with Colombia, Greece, and Japan.

Cote d’Ivoire provisional squad for Brazil:

Goalkeepers: Barry Boubacar (Lokeren, Belgium), Gbohouo Sylvain (Sewe Sport, Côte d’Ivoire), Mande Sayouba (Stabaek, Norway), Sangare Badra Ali (Asec Mimosas)

Defenders: Akpa Akpro (Valencienne, France), Aurier Serge (Toulouse, France), Boka Arthur (Stuttgart, Germany), Diarrassouba Viera (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey), Dja Djedje Brice (Marseille, France), Toure Kolo Abib (Liverpool, England), Zokora Didier (Free agent), Bamba Suleiman (Tranzonspor), Angoua Brou Benjamin (Valenciennes)

Midfielders: Serey Die Geoffroy (Bale, Switzerland), Diomande Ismael (Saint-Etienne, France), Tiote Cheick Ismael (Newcastle, England), Touré Yaya (Manchester City, England), Ya Konan Didier (Hanova), Djakpa Constant (Frankfort), Gradel Max-Alain (Saint-Etienne, France)

Forwards: Bolly Mathis (Dusseldorf, Germany), Bony Wilfried (Swansea, England), Didier Drogba (Galatasaray, Turkey), Doumbia Seydou (CSKA Moscou, Russia), Salomon Kalou (Lille, France), Sio Giovanni (Bale, Switzerland), Gervinho (AS Roma, Italy), Troare Lacina (Everton)

By: Gary Al-Smith/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

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