This comes after years of a temporary moratorium on employment in the education sector.

[contextly_sidebar id=”sLfVy0O0tTorItatsOGkqsCmIgnzKWyH”]The Minister of Education, Mathew Opoku Prempeh, who made the announcement of the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, said “the ministry has received clearance to replace, recruit, reappoint and re-instate 22,802 personnel of different categories, and has accordingly directed the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service to go through the process of employing these teaching and non-teaching staff.”

The Minister said the employment Ministry had commenced processes for the recruitment exercise, adding that, “the entire process of employment of these staff will be completed by the end of the year,” he said.

The Head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Dan Usman Amin, in an interview with Citi News explained that, the recruitment exercise will be done based on declared vacancies in the various schools across the country.

“Some teachers have gone on retirement and there is the need for replacement. Others are also on study leave and that has created some vacancy…. We have regional and district directors of Education and they have declared vacancies in the various schools. The headmasters and headmistresses have also declared vacancies. The Ghana Education Service is aware of these vacancies and these are going to be filled at the regional level,” he said.

The ban on the recruitment of teachers generated public outcry especially from some newly trained teacher-groups who were unemployed after completing their academic work.

UTAG also decried the situation noting that, it was negatively affecting the delivery of quality education in the country.

The clearance for the teachers to be recruited is expected to boost the quality of teaching and learning in various levels of education in the face of a UNESCO report that suggests that the country needs to increase 10 per cent per year in order to achieve Universal Primary Education by 2020.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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FA officials tell Citi Sports that Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah himself will have a hand in who is chosen and subsequently, his scope of work.

Public opinion has been split on the necessity of the position, with many feeling an undermining of Appiah’s role is on the cards.

But Citi Sports understands that the new technical director will assist Appiah only for the duration of the Afcon 2015 qualifiers – where Ghana play Uganda, Guinea and Togo in Group E.

After the qualifiers are done by late November, there will be an assessment to determine if the technical director will be needed further.

The technical director will be on an initial six-month deal, sources say.

No fears

Meanwhile, a member of the three-man committee set up by the GFA to look for an occupant for the newly created position Fred Pappoe has been speaking to calm fears.

“Kwesi Appiah is the boss of the team so he must definitely have the last say on decisions,” Pappoe told supersport.com on Tuesday.

The decision to set up a committee was taken at the Executive Committee meeting on Monday following a review of the technical direction of the Black Stars.

But on a continent where history shows that technical directors typically contrive to evict incumbent coaches, it is understandable that Ghanaians remain wary of the whole arrangement.

“The coach had already told us he will like to have some sort of technical assistance,” Pappoe also told Metro FM in Kumasi.

“So the GFA is merely responding to the request made by the coach.”

The three-man committee, due to send its report to the Executive Committee next week, is headed by the GFA vice-president Fred Crentsil who will work with Pappoe and Francis Oti Akenteng.

Security of Appiah’s job

The cost of this technical director appointment is expected to be borne by the FA and the government but a key question has been how Appiah will be evaluated.

Citi Sports understands that Kwesi Appiah will lose his job altogether in the unlikely event that Ghana fails to qualify for Morocco 2015.

Kwesi Appiah is currently on a new two-year deal agreed to before the World Cup, which pays him $36,500 a month. Should the FA decide to fire him before that time, he would be entitled to compensation.

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Gary Al-Smith/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @garyalsmith

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Sierra Leone had asked for permission to play some of its African Cup qualifiers in Ghana because of the Ebola outbreak at home.

The Confederation of African Football said in a statement on Tuesday that Sierra Leone indicated it wanted to move its home ties in the final qualifying round to Ghana.

Caf said the request had been made to Ghanaian authorities and ‘necessary reviews are being undertaken.’

As Citi Sports reported earlier, the GFA have now responded, asking their West African neighbours to deal with the matter at a governmental level.

Statement in full

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has received a request from our brothers at the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) seeking to play their 2015  Africa Cup of Nations qualifying home matches in Accra.

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The Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee position is one of the most strategic and most coveted among the FA’s inner circle because of the power that comes with it.

With the senior national team being Ghana football’s flagship brand, whoever is in charge has considerable influence. And that is why Nyantakyi took over the position from his former Vice President Fred Pappoe.

Pappoe had occupied the position from 2005 until 2011.

Since that time, Nyantakyi has been criticised for giving himself too much to chew since managing the Black Stars is a notoriously detailed job.

It is this apparent lack of detail that, internal sources tell Citi Sports, is the reason why the national team has been floundering since Nyantakyi took over in 2011.

The final straw

Matters have come to a head in the last 24 hours after the Ghana FA’s highest decision-making body, the Executive Committee, prevailed upon the administrator to relinquish the position.

The Ghana team has in the last three major tournaments seen consistent reports of indiscipline, infighting, bizarre black magic claims and bonus fiascoes, things which were largely absent – or if they did, almost never became public – when Pappoe was at the helm.

What it means

Watchers say this decision could be just one of many internal reforms needed for the Ghana FA to gain public trust in its workings, at a time when the country has seen its image dented by the public airlifting of $3M to pay player bonuses in Brazil.

But with Nyantakyi even more determined not to resign altogether, despite increasing calls for him to do so, others also believe this move is just a gimmick to keep fans quiet while business as usual continues.

—

By Gary Al-Smith/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @garyalsmith

The post Nyantakyi to relinquish Black Stars Management Committee chairmanship appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

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Citi Sports editor Gary Al-Smith believes though Ghana did not field a first-string starting XI or anything close to it for the entire duration of the Netherlands friendly, there are problems. And some notable points as well.

1. Gyan is almost irreplaceable

If this were a bout, Asamoah Gyan’s perceived importance to the Black Stars would have been given a unanimous victory.

Voted only weeks ago as the 2013 Footballer of the Year by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana, there still remains a section of people who believe Gyan’s dominance of the UAE league does not make him good enough to be world class.

But even they cannot dispute the vacuum created when he is absent.

Against the Dutch, Jordan Ayew started up front. It was quickly clear that he was heavily reliant on balls from the midfield. Caught in that situation, Gyan – on the contrary – would drop and try to get the ball himself. He did that a lot during the qualifiers.

In a game where Ghana also recorded no shots on target, it is clear Gyan’s precociousness with long shots was missed.

Easily the Black Stars best striker in their last six tournaments, the former Sunderland man scored 45 goals in 42 games in the UAE this season and was joint-top scorer in the African World Cup qualifiers, together with Egypt’s Mohammed Aboutreika.

He’s still Ghana’s undisputed champion.

2. Schlupp gives Ghana hope at left-back. Accam too

The country woke up on Sunday morning to the news that Leicester City’s Jeffery Schlupp and Helsingborg’s David Accam had been axed from the team, with a horrible ankle injury forcing defender Jerry Akaminko to miss the flight to Brazil as well.

But in Schlupp, Ghana truly have a hope that the left-back problem that has worried the team for almost a decade, will be sorted out soon.

His display against the Netherlands may have been uninspiring, but Schlupp’s potential to be a starter for Ghana in the next year is there for all to see.

Having been consistent with his club and helping them on to promotion for next season’s English Premier League, the German-born player should get regular playing time in one of the world’s best leagues before Ghana’s next major tournament in January.

David Accam is a luxury at this point in time. There are players in the current team who easily beat him to a place in the team based on pragmatism alone.

They can do what Accam does – and they have experience to boot. He was competing for a place with Andre Ayew, Christian Atsu and Kwadwo Asamoah.

Tough luck.

3. Afriyie Acquah’s emphatic statement

Accam’s tough luck involved having some of Ghana’s best players to contend with. But with Michael Essien waning in power and durability, Afriyie Acquah (Parma, Italy) has come into the Ghana team at a time he will be badly needed.

Michael Essien’s career problems at national level are well documented, and you get the feeling that Kwesi Appiah wants to give the Bison a proper crack at a World Cup before he says farewell to the tournament.

But it’s difficult to see Essien playing consistent 90 minute games in Brazil.

Normally, Rabiu Mohammed (Kuban Krasnodar, Russia) would have been a naturally replacement. Unfortunately, he is also only recently coming back from injury and as evidenced against the Dutch, needs a few games to get into the groove.

Afriyie Acquah is red and ready, on the back of a strong season for Parma and looking very much like a 24-year old Michael Essien.

4. Kwarasey over Fatau Dauda, please

Any arguments about who should be in goal for Ghana must have been settled by now. Adam Larsen Kwarasey’s biggest problem has been a consistent lack of big game temperament.

Against the World Cup runners-up from the last time, he was sharp.

“If it wasn’t for their very good goalkeeper and our own carelessness, Ghana should have been down 3-0 at half time,” noted Louis van Gaal after the game.

Having not seen Kwarasey at such a level in a while, it was refreshing to see that he has added “the Schmeichel save” to his repertoire. Distribution has always been a strong point of his, as has reaction from long balls.

Ghana’s first choice until now has been South-Africa based Fatau Dauda, but his severe lack of games will make it hard to justify benching the Norway-based Kwarasey in Brazil.

5. The defence is a mess

The best known secret in Ghanaian football was blown to bits on Saturday night: the defensive situation borders on critical now.

Inexperience, lack of composure, lack of communication and general leadership problems highlighted the way the Stars played.

Even with Akaminko around, his partnership with Rashid Sumaila was exposed by the fluid Dutch attack.

Now that Jerry is out, what gives? Sumaila-Jonathan Mensah at center-back? A John Boye and Jonathan Mensah combo looks most likely, but that looks brittle against the kind of barrage likely to meet them against USA, Portugal and Germany.

Which takes us to the next point.

6. The Michael Essien issue

The 31-year old may have just reached a point in his career where he has to reinvent himself one final time.

When Jose Mourinho asked him to play at right back for Real Madrid, Ess immediately agreed and was fairly decent. Not close to sterling, but fairly decent.

This time, Michael will be needed as a center-back. Indeed, this option has been heavily discussed in the past month by local media and now it looks like a necessity.

His preferred defensive midfield role can be handled by a combination of either or all of Afriyie Acquah, Rabiu Mohammed and Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu.

Kwesi Appiah has told a few confidantes that he is seriously considering Essien as a center-half (what is traditionally called ‘a number four’), so that Jonathan Mensah or John Boye features as a center-back (‘number five’).

With Jerry Akaminko out due to injury, sources say this is now an almost dead certainty and will happen in at least one of the Ghana games in Brazil.

7. Albert Adomah was poor, but he will work

At first glance, it’s hard to see why Adomah is loved by the boss.

He seems like just a mechanical version of Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, but without the excess stopovers. Adomah is very English in his play down the flanks.

But his timing, concentration and work-rate against the Netherlands were horrible. So why is he going to Brazil?

Simply because against Holland, he had an off day. I struggle to recall when the Middlesbrough player has not played to instruction in a Ghana shirt, and that’s why he is on that plane.

I’ve interviewed Kwesi Appiah enough times to know that – like all coaches – anyone who does exactly as he says will be a favorite. A pastor calls this trait “obedience”. The football man calls it “tactical discipline.”

8. Kwadwo must take his place

You buy a Ferrari. You sit inside. You turn on the ignition. You expect a powerful, heart-pleasing roar from the engine’s bowels.

What you get is a meow.

That is Ghana’s situation with Kwadwo Asamoah. His tactical disposition is up there with the best of them, but he must know that great players are those who stand up to be counted in murky situations.

Kwadwo Asamoah has speed in abundance. He has creativity in ounces. He has power in that left-foot to deliver at least five long rangers a game.

But he chooses to simply run and down the wings, link up and do an efficient job.

It is even embarrassing to remember that a few years ago, Asamoah was offered the legendary number ten shirt as heir to Stephen Appiah and let it go because of the pressure associated with it.

If Ghana should go far in Brazil, certain players must fulfill the destiny their immense talent requires. The Juventus man is on top of that list.

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

Follow @garyalsmith

The post Analysis: Kwesi Appiah’s 8 observations from Netherlands 1-0 Ghana appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

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Special Ivory Coast edition: Didier Drogba speaks from the heart about wanting to break his nation’s World Cup group stage hoodoo.

With 13 days to start Brazil 2014, we hear from Ivorian coach Sabri Lamouchi and striker Salomon Kalou on the pressure to deliver for millions of frustrated fans.

Victor Ikpeba, 1997 African Footballer of the Year rewinds time to *that* infamously disallowed penalty of Afcon 2000. Plus he’s sure that at least one African side will go very far in Brazil. (by GH One TV’s Samuel Bartels)

New Ghana sensation Abdul Majeed Waris has scored nine Ligue 1 goals in 2014 – more than any other player in the league – except Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The former Swedish league goal king opens up for a lengthy chat (by GH One TV’s Samuel Bartels, with Nathan Quao and Jesse Amponsah)

And who wins our Samsung Galaxy S3 mini this week?

_

Presented by Gary Al-Smith and produced by Nathan Quao/Gary Al-Smith for Citi FM & Supersport.com. Aired: May 30, 2014.

**Soundtrack details**
Song Title: Someway Bi
Artist Name: M.anifest
Produced by: Yung Fly
Singitdamnit Music/Cumbancha Music Publishing (BMI) 2013

More detail: www.facebook.com/FCAfricaRadio

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After an intense channel battle GTV, Ghana’s premier television network and its sports channel  GTV Sport Plus, finally succeeded in pricing away from other competing TV networks the much heralded  Brazil 2014 World Cup Soccer Fiesta sport documentary series presented by ace sports broadcaster and senior lecturer at the Ghana School of Law, Moses Foh-Amoaning.

Source: Moses Foh-Amoaning

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– Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor speaks to us exclusively about his Tottenham form (with Dotun Tenubi)

– We hear from Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah as he marks two years in charge (analysis with BBC’s Michael Oti-Adjei and Power FM’s Christopher Opoku)

–  Then we take an extensive look at Algeria’s preparations for Brazil 2014 (with Maher Mezahi). Plus the usual dose of ‘Africans Abroad’.

– And who is the winner of our Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini weekly quiz? You can win too! (click here)

___

Presented by Gary Al-Smith and produced by Nathan Quao/Gary Al-Smith for Citi FM & supersport.com. Aired: April 11, 2014.

**Soundtrack details**
Song Title: Someway Bi
Artist Name: M.anifest
Produced by: Yung Fly
Singitdamnit Music/Cumbancha Music Publishing (BMI) 2013

More detail: www.facebook.com/FCAfricaRadio

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The post FC Africa 6: Adebayor speaks, 2 years of Ghana’s Kwesi Appiah & Algeria unlocked appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

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– Sacked Ethiopia coach Sewnet Bishaw headlines today’s edition in an exclusive interview – he says Nigeria cheated their way to the 2014 World Cup!

– We get updated on the short-list for the Ethiopia job (with Jerry Kwame Ayensu & Betemariam Hailu in Addis Ababa)

– Another big interview with German coaching legend Ottmar Hitzfield as he talks African player stereotypes, his top 4 African players of all time, thoughts on Berti Vogts, the uniqueness of Giovane Élber and the Mario Basler problem.

– Plus, big-name footballers debate administrators on the sense in sending WAGs to the World Cup.

– And also, the ‘Africans Abroad’ staple with Nathan Quao.

Presented by Gary Al-Smith and produced by Nathan Quao/Gary Al-Smith for Citi FM & Supersport.com. Aired: April 04, 2014.

**Soundtrack details**
Song Title: Someway Bi
Artist Name: M.anifest
Produced by: Yung Fly
Singitdamnit Music/Cumbancha Music Publishing (BMI) 2013

More detail: www.facebook.com/FCAfricaRadio

Follow @FcAfrica

The post FC Africa ep 5: Sewnet Bishaw, Ottmar Hitzfield & Africa’s World Cup WAGs appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The budget details for the Black Stars participation at the 2014 World Cup is a state secret, according to Ibrahim Sannie Daara.

The Director of Communications at the Ghana Football Association was reacting to the news broken by two media outlets, Citi FM and the Captivating Ghana Sports newspaper, that they had details of the breakdown of the budget for the tournament.

“As we speak now those figures speculated in the media have got no legs to stand on,” Sannie said in a debate on the state-owned Ghana  Television.

“I’d say with no equivocation that as I sit here as Director of Communications of the GFA, I’ve not seen the breakdown.”

“The Chief of Staff has said that this is a state secret and if someone brings it and if I am not able to authenticate it, I will say that person s carrying a false document.”

The former BBC journalist had been invited to GTV’s Sunday Night Live show hosted by Christopher Opoku and Karl Tufuoh.

Also invited were the Sports Editor of Peace FM, Dan Kweku Yeboah and Gary Al-Smith, Citi Sports’ editor.

Last week, Yeboah and Al-Smith released figures from documents they had intercepted which showed that, among other things, the  officials who make up the Black Stars management committee will get slightly more bonuses than the players themselves during the group stages of the World Cup.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL CITI SPORTS STORY ON WORLD BUDGET

“Show me the documents”

But even though Sannie admitted that he had not seen the budget breakdown, he insisted that what the two journalists were reporting were “concoctions”, going further to call Al-Smith a “liar” who uses lies as his “stock in trade.”

The FA spokesman challenged the two journalists to show him documents from the office of the Chief of Staff, which is – according to him – the only place the breakdown could have been leaked from.

“If anybody comes out with any breakdown, unless I see the documents as authentic from the Chief of Staff’s Office I will say that [whatever they have as a] document is a ruse,” Sannie said.

Sannie revealed that after meetings with the Chief of Staff, everyone present had been charged not to discuss the details of the budget, but quickly dismissed claims that the GFA do not want the public to know.

On his part, Dan Kweku Yeboah also contended that taxpayers’ money cannot be used for projects and be labelled state secrets, “unless they think there are things to hide from the people of Ghana.”

Citi Sports editor Al-Smith also pointed out that as a fundamental principle of journalism, he was under no obligation to disclose sources.

Al-Smith told the FA spokesman: “You’ve been a journalist for more than 15 years. Look at me very carefully, do I look like a journalist who will disclose my sources to you?”

A visibly angry Sannie charged: “How dare you talk to me like that?”

The program remained heated until  it had to be abruptly ended by the hosts.

When contacted, producers at GTV however told Citi Sports that the show was ended because it had overrun and not because of an order from senior management, as was widely speculated in the past few days.

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By: Citi Sports Desk

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