Day: June 22, 2023

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Asamoah Gyan retires from football

Ghanaian football star Asamoah Gyan announced his retirement in a ceremony in Accra Ghana on Wednesday, June 21. He shared an emotional note.

“I want to thank my beloved country Ghana, my family, my colleagues from school…club mates, coaches and everybody who has played a role in my career as a footballer” an excerpt of Gyan’s letter read.

The Black Stars’ record goalscorer with 51 goals in 109 games for his country, said it was a difficult decision to take. “A stage that is difficult in every footballer’s career, a moment all footballers do not wish but when nature dawns that this voice will keep echoing into the ears.”

He indicated that “I will put my experience to use in the field of coaching, football business, and scouting.”

Asamoah Gyan ends a 20-year career as Africa’s top World Cup goalscorer with 6 goals; He scored in Ghana’s 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in a group game at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. During the 2010 tournament in South Africa, he scored thrice as the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals. He later scored two more goals at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The former captain played in seven Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, helping Ghana finish third in 2008 and as Runners-up in the 2010 and 2015 editions.

The striker had stints with Serie A’s Udinese, Sunderland in the English Premier League, and Rennes in the French Ligue 1.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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Beach soccer: Seychelles hosts 3-nation tournament for national day festivities

Beach Soccer enthusiasts will be able to enjoy their favourite sport in a three-nation tournament as part of the activities to celebrate the Seychelles National Day on June 29, said the local football federation.

The nations participating in the six-day tournament are Seychelles, Burundi and Madagascar.

The competition will start on June 23 and the final is set for June 28, one day before Seychelles officially celebrates its national day, which falls on the island nation’s Independence Day.

Aside from the Burundi national team and Barea from Madagascar, the tournament will feature eight selections with six from Seychelles.

The national team will split into two, White and Blue teams, a national under-20 selection, a selection of players who normally compete in 11 a-side football called classic 15, as well as two teams made up of players not in the national selection – Sand Warriors and Lost Boys.

Burundi are currently ranked 100th in the world, according to the latest beach soccer world rankings, compared to Seychelles who are 57th in the world ranking.

The two national selections of Seychelles will be coached by Travis Julienne and Herald Kowlessur. This will give both coaches the opportunity to experiment with their players as they look to continue developing the national side.

The teams will be split into two groups for the tournament, with Seychelles White, Under 20, Barea and San Warriors making up group A, with group B consisting of Seychelles Blue, Classic 15, Lost Boys and Burundi.

All matches will be played at the Beach Soccer Arena at Roche Caiman, with free entrance to all the games, including the final on June 28 at 7.45 pm.

According to the organisers, there will be lots of prizes on offer, where aside from trophies for the winners, there will be individual prizes, including a match of the match award after each game.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

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Health Grievances: Gov’t creates interministerial mediation committee

An Interministerial Committee that will examine the complaints of grieving Health Workers in Cameroon and propose concrete solutions to their problems, has been put in place by Prime Minister, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute in a decision he signed on June 20.

The Interministerial committee is structured in three chapters thus the creation, organization, and functioning chapters, and is made up of diverse personalities and stakeholders.

Members of the Interministerial committee are the Ministers of Public Health, Public Service and Administrative Reforms, Labour and Social Security, Finance and Decentralization, and Local Development.

Among other missions the Ad hoc committee will have, are:

to update the list of workers who are in precarious situations (a list that stands at 27 000)

to define objective criteria to be fulfilled in the progressive contextualization process of health workers in precarious conditions.

to examine all revendication’s tabled by the health workers within the framework of the Social inclusive dialogue and propose real solutions to the problems. “The proposed solutions will be submitted to the hierarchy for appreciation” reads the decision.

This decision from the PM, according to some trade unionists, is a positive progress made to resolve the 1-month social tension.

” We are presently seeking solutions that will calm down the situation. This is already a step forward because all Government ministries that are concerned with this case, have been included in the Ad Hoc Committee,” Declared Sylvain Ngah Onana, president of the CAP/Santé trade union.

” We are now waiting for what we can term policy mediation which can be real before July 15. Let’s wait and see” He added.

” We were already waiting for a reaction from the government and the reaction can be seen through this Prime Ministerial decision. We shall reach out to other workers so that they get the information and also decide which position we have to take. Our fight is to find long-lasting solutions so as to improve the living and working conditions of health personnel in Cameroon, ” concluded Onana

Health workers in some hospitals in Yaounde, on May 22, 2023, began protesting against low wages, lack of funds, burnout, lack of working equipment, and unsafe working conditions. The strike action in Cameroon’s Capital is currently in its second month, and the workers promised to continue the strike till their problems are solved.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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World Music Day: Cameroon upcoming artists decry increasing challenges in music industry

While Cameroon on Wednesday joined the international community to commemorate World Music Day celebrated every year on June 21, upcoming artists in the music industry have complained bitterly about the everyday challenges they face.

This day is always commemorated to celebrate and promote the global language of music, and to bring together people of different nationalities, cultures, and races through music.

These musicians in Cameroon say they face many challenges, including the lack of supportive infrastructure, piracy, and limited access to finance.

“Upcoming artists face a unique problem of finance, marketing strategies, and information on how to protect their art. The cost of production and the promotion of music is actually high which limits a lot of us young artists from getting exposure in the industry. As an artist, information is key to success. Most of us lack information about music, where to put our music to be able to earn minor income as an independent artist, how to protect the art, and so on,” Ndocham Ferdinand Akem AKA Akem Cameroonian upcoming musician said.

“Not having a team to work with. That involves marketer, producer, manager, bloggers, etc and it all boils down to finance, so, my main problem is lack of money to finance the above,” Chianoh Malvis AKA Vinhora stated.

“Upcoming artists have a lot of challenges ranging from finance, lack of sponsors, disrespect, etc. From recording, and shooting of a video clip to paying tv, radio, and bloggers so that they can help you get your song out there entails a lot of money. At the level of disrespect, when an artist is not yet known people turn to disrespect you a lot, some even invite you to programs at the end, they don’t pay the money that was agreed upon. Having a sponsor is difficult especially here in Cameroon, people still don’t believe they can invest in music, they don’t yet know music is business “showbiz”, most people here still see music as something done by people that are jobless, rascals,” Don Chiambah Venasius Chia AKA Don Shell bemoaned.

The theme for World Music Day 2023 is “Music on the Intersections”, highlighting the ability of music to unify communities and individuals.

These upcoming musicians are hoping for better days ahead in the music industry.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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Seychelles’ government approves negotiation points for 12th EU-Eastern Southern African States interim EPA

Seychelles’ Cabinet of Ministers has approved the country’s position areas under negotiation for endorsement for the 12th European Union (EU) Eastern Southern African States Interim Economic Partnership Agreement Negotiations.

In a press conference on Thursday updating the media on the Cabinet’s latest decisions, Vice President Ahmed Afif stated that the agreement covers different elements of economic corporation between the EU and Eastern Southern African States, including Seychelles.

“It covers the way these countries treat the subject of competition, and how a country allows such so there is no monopoly. It also touches on the policy that would be in place should a European country seek to bring its product to Seychelles,” said Afif.

“The agreement covers areas of special protection for state-owned enterprises. It covers tax, how commerce is undertaken, processes used at customs, and rules of origin, among others. It looks at how we allow different services to exist in both areas. For example, in Seychelles, we can say that we will not allow foreigners to have small hotels – 25 rooms or less,” he continued.

It was in 2007 that six Eastern and Southern African countries – Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – concluded an interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the EU.

Seychelles signed the agreement in 2009 and it has been provisionally applied since May 14, 2012.

The EU website states that the EPA “includes a rendezvous clause for negotiating other trade-related areas such as rules and commitments on services and investment, sustainable development and competition – known as the ‘deepening’ process – and the five countries already applying the agreement have declared their readiness to move beyond trade in goods, towards a more comprehensive agreement.”

Ten of the 13 thematic parts were discussed during the 11th round of discussions, which was held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, in March 2023.

This included Technical Barriers to Trade, Rules of Origin, Trade in Services, Investment Liberalisation and Digital Trade, Intellectual Property Rights and Geographical Indications, Competition, Transparency in Public Procurement, Trade, and Sustainable Development, Agriculture, Fisheries as well as Dispute Settlement and Institutional Provisions.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

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