Coach Zinedine Zidane said Real Madrid will appeal Cristiano Ronaldo’s second yellow card for diving in the Spanish Super Cup first leg at Barcelona.
The Portuguese star player had showed the best and worst side of his game in Real’s 3-1 win at Nou Camp.
Ronaldo spent 24 minutes on the pitch after not starting the game and still had the biggest impact.
The 32-year-old, who was given a hostile reception by Barca fans as he warmed up before replacing Karim Benzema, hit back moments after Lionel Messi’s equaliser with a brilliant strike into the top corner to put Real 2-1 up in the 80th minute.
The Portuguese threw off his shirt after scoring and provocatively held it up to the crowd and was booked.
Two minutes later he was sent off for trying to win a penalty in a challenge from Samuel Umtiti, angrily pushing referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea before leaving the pitch.
“We played a great game but I am annoyed by Cristiano’s sending off,” Zidane told a news conference.
“Perhaps it wasn’t a penalty but the red card is a little harsh. We can’t change it, but we’ll try and make sure he plays on Wednesday.”
Madrid captain Sergio Ramos also leapt to Ronaldo’s defence.
“I think he was caught off balance and he didn’t dive,” said the defender. “We should try and appeal it. It should be analysed a little more.”
Marco Asensio scored Real’s third with a stunning long range goal in the 90th minute, giving Madrid a healthy advantage as they seek to win a fourth trophy in four months and earn their first Super Cup since 2012.
“We fought with 10 players, we believed until the end but it’s only one game, we have the second leg up next,” added Zidane.
Barca coach Ernesto Valverde said his side had not deserved to lose 3-1.
“I don’t have the sensation we were as far away from them as the scoreline suggests,” he said. “They scored three times, but we played well and had our chances.
“They caught us on the counterattack when it was 1-1 and scored a great goal, and then another one. But it’s not just about getting into the danger zone, it’s about putting your chances away.”
Why Jonathan could not accuse me of corruption – Amaechi
In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, speaks on the challenges and advantages of Nigeria’s latest rail transport system, Rivers State politics and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
PT: What are the challenges you have faced in this ministry?
Amaechi: Money has been the basic challenge. The contracts that you need to deliver on a railway are in tonnes of naira. Take for example the approval by the president that we should do a railway from Abuja to Lokoja to join Itakpe to Warri as well as a sea pot in Warri; that project was put at $3.1 billion, which is nearly N1 trillion. Where will you get the money from?
PT: When you say that money is your problem, what are you doing with the private sector?
Amaechi: I don’t know why people engage in this debate without looking at the realities. Everywhere in the world when it comes to real operation, people get involved. Like we are having a real operation investment in the narrow gauge in which GE is bringing about two million dollars to revive the old narrow gauge and run them by themselves.
But when it comes to real construction, it is usually the government because they are in trillions. How many persons can raise that? The contract from Lagos to Kano is $8.3 billion, the contract from Lagos to Calabar is $11.1 billion dollars. At N300 per dollar, that is N3.3 trillion.
PT: You have just explained that one of the reasons why government takes charge of real construction is because of the requirement for huge sums of money. Yet you had stated that the River Niger dredging costs this government only N100 million. Were you referring to maintenance dredging there or capital dredging?
Amaechi: Maintenance dredging. But what is capital dredging? It’s the same 2.5-meter draft. The work has been slow because the dredgers were rented out. Next year I have told them to include it in their budget to buy a very big dredger, so you don’t need to award the contract. What will a contractor do other than to use a dredger to desilt the river; which you can do if you have your staff?
PT: So, what you are saying is that because dredgers are not adequately available, the contract was outsourced?
Amaechi: I said NIWA is handling the contract. Nobody will do it for you at N100 million now. The only way you can do it at N100 million is that you are paying the staff their regular salary and you are buying diesel to fuel the dredger and the dredger belongs to NIWA.
PT: Recently when you announced that with the improvement in patronage of trains, the Kaduna Abuja rail now generates N30 million monthly; you added that the operational cost is N56 million per month. Does that mean the rail is being run at a monthly deficit of N26 million?
Amaechi: Of course. Because you are subsidising. Where will you run a rail transport for N1,000 and then the business coach is N1, 500? The passengers themselves are the people begging that we should increase the cost of transportation and we are hoping that by October, when we receive more coaches, we will increase the price. I don’t know how much we will increase it to. But we will increase the price so that even if we do not pay the entire cost of operation, we can at least reduce the loss.
We expect about 10 to 17 more coaches by October. I think by the time the new coaches and locomotives arrive, we will be doing 130 kilometres per hour. The current speed is 80 kilometres and the train has a capacity of 150 kilometres per hour.
PT: We understand that some people are already taking advantage of the scarcity to extort money from unsuspecting passengers by purchasing these tickets for the normal price of N1, 000 and selling at high prices as N3000. What do you intend to do about this?
Amaechi: There is nothing you can do about it. Ordinarily, what law is the man breaking? The man is trading. He buys a ticket and he offers you at N3000. If you don’t want to buy, you don’t want to buy.
The man is not creating scarcity, the scarcity is because government is not able to bring in more coaches. So, the solution to it is go and bring in more coaches, the man won’t have a business. As soon as we bring in more coaches and have between 10 to 17 coaches; there will be too many space for the man not to have that market. We currently have only four coaches. These four coaches can only take 120 passengers. So, if you have about 800 passengers, that means there is a deficit of about 600 and something. So, some passengers will pay more if they must go to Kaduna.
PT: Having completed the Kaduna Abuja rail, would you consider it part of your achievements, given the fact that it was not originally your project?
Amaechi: That will be very unfair. For instance, why is the Itakpe-Warri not running? It was awarded 30 years ago. Now, we are focusing on it and if N100 billion is required to complete it and we bring that; then they say, ‘no it’s not your project’. You see, that’s why politicians don’t complete projects if it is abandoned, because you will go and say; ‘it’s not your projects. It’s like what I told my supporters in Rivers State; that it doesn’t matter if Wike completes a project I started and takes the glory. We did not believe in the principle of commissioning projects. He believes in the principle of commissioning projects, then let him go ahead. We believe you are employed by the people, your salary is paid by the people; and then you do your job and call the people to come and dance with you, because you have done your job?
Let us consider the Kaduna-Abuja rail that you talked about. It is part of the Lagos-Kano. It was close to 90 per cent competed. But key is that there were some things that we needed to address: we had to deal with the obstacles. One of them is that the Catholic Church needed land and compensation for their land and the buildings we were going to demolish. We paid the compensation. Personally, I went to the Minister for FCT and got the approval for a Certificate of Occupancy and handed it over to them and we got government to fence their land for them and they vacated. So, you cannot say it is not our project. We are not laying credit. What matters is that business is running.
The Itakpe-Warri rail was awarded in 1987, and up till today, it has not been completed. About 50 kilometres have been vandalised – from Itakpe to Lokoja. Now, we are awarding a fresh contract to CCECC to enable us rebuild from Itakpe to Lokoja. Hopefully, cabinet should be able to discuss it once we send a memo.
PT: Among the various allegations against you by Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike, he accused you of admitting to have taken $39 billion for the construction of a specialist hospital in your state, which was never built. Would you comment on that?
Amaechi: That is not completely correct. To the extent that we paid, yes! That is correct. Our contribution to that project was three billion. So, we had given them that money, which they utilised. I arrested the man and handed him over to the police, because if he knew from day one that he wanted me to award him contract, then he should have said so. I would have looked for the money. I would use the public procurement process. But he came behind and said, ‘bring 10 per cent, we will bring 90 per cent’. And that excited me as a governor and I brought the N10 per cent he promised and then he came to me and said; ‘I have done this; I have done that’; they do not have money, and that is what we disagreed on. So how does that constitute corruption? They had finished the foundation, 18 floors.
I am not too happy that it is now that Nigerians will say I am so corrupt. Why did Goodluck not prosecute me or even accuse me then? When I was accusing him and shouting corruption. Don’t forget I was the first person to shout that $49 billion was missing from NNPC. Sanusi wrote the letter, but kept quiet. I stumbled upon it and went public. The CBN president wrote in September and then I saw it the next year. A lot of people tried to compromise me and I refused.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan [Photo Credit: Ikenga Chronicles]
When I spoke up about oil subsidy; do you think I was not tempted? Under Obasanjo, oil subsidy was N300 billion, under Yar’Adua oil subsidy was N300 billion. Under Jonathan’s first six month in office, oil subsidy rose from N300 billion to N1.7 trillion! You think they did not invite me, that nobody spoke to me? You think nothing happened behind? I will write my book. Nobody accused me of corruption all that time. Then, suddenly one young man comes up and says, ‘Oh! He is corrupt! Two years after leaving office, they have not prosecuted Amaechi; I have no immunity.
PT: Are you sure you were not prosecuted because you were a governor at the time? That’s considering your question that the Goodluck Jonathan administration never prosecuted you.
President Buhari resumes office
But why did they not even accuse me? I was not prosecuting him, I was accusing him. They know; Goodluck Jonathan knows that I don’t like money, if they want to be honest.
PT: Can you tell us about the recently reported practitioner’s operating fee for ports officials that was introduced by this administration?
Amaechi: It was there by law. The only thing that happened is that when I came, these people were collecting the money that the law says government should collect and give them a percentage. When I came in, I told them that we should implement the law. They refused. They took me to court. You don’t come and threaten me. The only person that can threaten me now and I will kneel down is my wife. Not men. Let him pull out, other people will come in. The law says you will pay x y z first, then government will split it with you. But first, you will pay that money to government.
PT: Given the economic recession and its effects on the masses, coupled with the controversies that have trailed the president’s medical vacation especially in recent times, would you say that the ruling party still has nothing to worry about in the next election?
Amaechi: I am not the party’s chairman.
PT: But as a member of his party, would you say that the cabinet is not bothered, for example about the president’s health and other related issues?
Nyesom Wike
Amaechi: What should bother us should be the President’s health. He has left everything in order. Once we know that he is alive and is recuperating, that calls for celebration.
Shouldn’t we be thankful about where we are now? Have you checked our rating in Transparency International’s list of corrupt countries? Is anybody chasing you out of the roads now because somebody important is passing? We are not high-profile ministers. The challenges were fait accompli. Apparently, we were going to go into recession. Now, we are walking out of this recession. A lot of indicators show that we are. The only problem we have is the cost of food production. We were importing about 3 million tonnes of rice, now we are saying let’s produce at home.
Give it the next 10 years and the price of rice will go down.
Osinbajo congratulates Uhuru Kenyatta on re-election
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has congratulated President Uhuru Kenyatta on his re-election as President of the Republic of Kenya.
Mr Laolu Akande, the acting President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said the congratulatory message was contained in a letter signed by the Acting President and addressed to the Kenyan leader.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kenyatta’s electoral victory was formally announced by the country’s electoral commission on Friday amid allegations of voting fraud by his rival, Raila Odinga.
Osinbajo, however, noted that President Kenyatta’s re-election was a clear testimony to his selfless service to Kenya and the giant strides he took to transform the country in the last few years.
He said: “I have the honour on behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to congratulate you on your successful re-election as the President of the Republic of Kenya.
“Permit me, therefore, to use this momentous occasion to reiterate Nigeria’s support and cooperation with Kenya in our collective determination to advance the development of Africa and its people.’’
The acting President also congratulated and extended his best wishes to the people of Kenya on the successful conclusion of the Aug. 8 general elections in the country.
He wished President Kenyatta “a very successful new term in office.’’
The official figures released by the Kenya’s electoral commission indicated that Kenyatta secured 54.27 per cent to defeat Odinga who scored 44.74 per cent of the ballots cast. NAN
Cristiano Ronaldo went from hero to villain in the space of two minutes as Real Madrid won the first El Clasico of the season with a 3-1 victory over Barcelona at the Nou Camp.
Left out of the starting lineup for this first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, Ronaldo’s brilliant effort from range had restored Real’s lead with 10 minutes remaining, but he was sent off shortly afterwards having picked up two yellow cards in quick succession.
To compound matters, the Portugal forward — linked with a move away from the Bernabeu this summer — then pushed referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea after being shown a red card.
Gerard Pique’s own goal had put Real ahead after a low-key first half, but in a frantic finish Lionel Messi equalised from the spot before Ronaldo struck, with Marco Asensio grabbing a last-minute third for the visitors.
Mateo Kovacic could have given Real the lead in the first minute after Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s poor clearance gifted a chance to the visitors, but the midfielder’s attempted lob fell into the backtracking goalkeeper’s arms.
At the other end Luis Suarez tested Keylor Navas and Gerard Deulofeu failed to pick out a team-mate with his cut-back after reaching the byline.
Isco cut in from the left after 18 minutes but dragged his shot wide, and seven minutes later Messi went close with a free-kick which whistled over the crossbar.
Pique was booked for using his hand to try and convert a Barca corner, before Ter Stegen atoned for his earlier error with a smart save to deny Gareth Bale after he was picked out by Isco.
Real went ahead after 49 minutes – Isco again involved as he slipped Marcelo in down the left channel and his low cross was turned into his own net by Pique at the near post.
Deulofeu fired wide after an Aleix Vidal cross fell kindly for him at the back post and Dani Carvajal saw an effort cleared off the line at the other end as the game opened up.
Asensio’s world-class finish makes it three for Real
Raphael Varane came close to scoring a carbon copy of Pique’s own goal when he stabbed Suarez’s low cross inches over his own bar.
Substitute Ronaldo found Marcelo in the 70th minute and the Brazilian was only denied by Ter Stegen’s fine stop.
Sergio Busquets missed a glorious chance to level the scores when he blazed over from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy after being picked out by Denis Suarez.
However, after 77 minutes Barca did equalise. Luis Suarez was felled by Navas in the box, and Messi converted from the spot.
Ronaldo put Real ahead again just three minutes later, cutting inside Jordi Alba and firing a 20-yard effort into the top corner following an incisive break, with Isco again the provider.
However, the forward was booked for taking his shirt off to celebrate and moments later that proved crucial as he was shown a second yellow for diving after going down under pressure from Samuel Umtiti.
The 32-year-old then pushed De Burgos Bengoetxea in the back on his way off the pitch.
Asensio capped another counter-attack with a brilliant left-footed finish from the edge of the penalty area to give Zinedine Zidane’s side a commanding lead going into Wednesday’s return leg in Madrid. ESPN
President Muhammadu Buhari says there is tremendous improvement in his health, and that he is eager to return home.
“But I’ve learnt to obey my doctor’s orders, rather than be the one issuing the orders. Here, the doctor is absolutely in charge,” he said.
Pic 15 From Left: Personal Assistant Digital/Online Media Lauretta Onochie; Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed; President Muhammadu Buhari; Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu and Senior Special Assistant to the Pressident on Diaspora Matters, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa during their visit to the President at the Nigerian House in London on Saturday (12/8/17) 04236/12/8/2017/ICE/NAN
The President spoke while receiving the presidential media team, and the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters, at Abuja House, London, on Saturday.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, led the visiting team, accompanied by Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity; Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, and Lauretta Onochie, Personal Assistant on Digital/Online Media. Also there was Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters.
When the team expressed delight at the much improved health of the President, he retorted: “I feel I could go home, but the doctors are in charge. I’ve now learnt to obey orders, rather than be obeyed.”
On how he felt hearing different conjectures about his health, an amused President Buhari said he followed events at home closely, lauding Nigerian television stations, and the media generally, for keeping him informed.
When told that prayers were going on fervently for him, not only in Nigeria, but all over Africa, and round the world, a delighted President said: “What we did in The Gambia early this year fetched us a lot of goodwill on the African continent. It gave us a lot of latitude. I thank all those who are praying. May God reward them.”
President Buhari sent appreciation to all Nigerians, expressing hope that he would be with them soon. NAN
Why Delta Lawyer, Mbanefo Nwoko Was Arrested By Police; His Many Atrocities + His Real Paternity Unveiled
A controversial India trained lawyer, Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko who has been described as the architect and mastermind of the prolonged kingship tussle and the attendant killings in the intherto peaceful kingdom of Udumuje Ugboko in Aniocha North Local Government of Delta State was this evening arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to information reaching us, the police arrested Mbanefo Nwoko at his secret lover’s house where he has been using as hideouts since man hunt for him began about few weeks ago.
We gathered that Mbanefo was picked up in Auchi in Edo State by security forces after ignoring several ivites by the police.
Police arrest Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko for murder, rape allegations
Barrister Mbanefo we learnt has been on the wanted list of the police for his role in the murder of late Obi Albert Nwoko III of the Idumuje kingdom. He was also alleged to have been involved in the gang rape of 14 year old daughter of the late monarch and multiple forgeries.
Before his arrest, Mbanefo had been the main backer of Prince Chukwunonso Justin Nwoko who is desperately scheming and laying claims to the vacant stool of the Idumuje Ugboko kingdom against the younger and rightful heir to the throne, Prince Uche Stephen Nwoko.
While perfecting the plot on how to install Nonso Nwoko as king against the wishes of the people, Mbanefo contracted some armed militants into the kingdom to attack kingmakers, elders, chiefs and indigenes. During the reign of terror unleashed on the community, the militants shot and killed a commercial motorcycle rider while two high ranking chiefs in the kingdom, the Odogwu and Iyase were abducted under the directive of Mbanefo and Nonso and taken to the palace where they were tortured and beaten.
At the end of the invasion, over 20 houses were destroyed while cars, motorcycles and other properties of people perceived to be opponents of Nonso were vandalized.
The police later swung into action and some arrests were made. Several invitations were sent to Nonso but were ignored while Mbanefo who stood as his lawyer always made excuses for him. The police had to take the case to a magistrate court which Nonso continued to ignore in contempt. The magistrate had to issue a bench warrant for his arrest.
But in order to make Nonso avoid the court, Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko presented a letter purportedly from the Chief Medical Director of General Hospital Owa Oyibo in Ika North East Local Government area, claiming Nonso was being treated of multiple ailments on the day he was supposed to be in court.
We learnt after further investigations the police approached the hospital to verify the letter and the management of the hospital denied issuing such letter and that the signature was forged.
Piqued by the report, the magistrate, F.I Dike issued the bench warrant against Chukwunonso and his surety.
However, it was later discovered that it was Barrister Mbanefo that masterminded the forgery of the medical report which made the police to declare him wanted.
Apart from that, Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko who some of his colleagues described as a failed lawyer (because he has never won a single case in the court of law), before the forgery issue, had been under the watch list of the police for his involvement in the rape of the 14 year old girl. Curiously, when asked about the rape incident, Mbanefo claimed the young girl consented.
Also tagged as a con artist, Barrister Mbanefo is said to be using the kingship brouhaha in Idimuje Ugboko as a money making venture. “He writes letters to notable Idimuje Ugboko indigenes where he solicits for funds in millions of naira to help him pursue Nonso’s kingship matter and court cases, promising to give them expanse of land if the cases are won. But he collects the money, pockets major part of it, share some to hoodlums to be terrorizing the people. So, Mbanefo doesn’t want the case to end.’’ The source disclosed.
We also learnt that since the crisis started early this year, and the attendant mayhem and destruction, Mbanefo had written frivolous petitions against the state police command, accusing it of bias and requested the cases be transferred to the zonal command in Benin.
“When the cases were taken to the zonal command, and thorough investigations were made, obviously the facts were laid bare and Mbanefo began to sponsor negative attack on the AIG in charge of the zone through social media. He even went to court in Effurun to ask for the protection of his human rights. I don’t know where you go to court to stop being arrested for murder, rape and forgeries.” The source added.
Meanwhile, the kingship brouhaha has thrown up many dirty pasts of Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko. In fact, there are stories that cast doubt on his paternity.
According to an elder of the town who confided in us, Mbanefo’s real father is said to be one Adibua Okonkwo from Ubulu-Uku town.
“It is a family secret. His father is Adibua Okonkwo, and that is why Mbanefo does not look like the Nwokos. The Nwokos are light in complexion while he is dark. You will also see that he speaks the Ubulu-Uku dialect. So, Mbanefo doesn’t have resemblance with the royal Nwoko family of Idumuje Ugboko. He was brought in as an illegitimate child,” the elder revealed.
BREAKING:Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko Arrested for Murder, Rape Allegations
A controversial India trained lawyer, Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko who has been described as the architect and mastermind of the prolonged kingship tussle and the attendant killings in the hitherto peaceful kingdom of Idumuje Ugboko in Aniocha North Local Government of Delta State was this evening arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to information reaching us, the police arrested Mbanefo Nwoko at his secret lover’s house where he has been using as hideouts since man hunt for began about few weeks ago.
We gathered that Mbanefo was picked up in Auchi in Edo State by security forces after ignoring several invites by the police.
newsheadline247 learnt Barrister Mbanefo has been on the wanted list of the police for his role in the murder of late Obi Albert Nwoko III of the Idumuje kingdom and terrorism. He was also alleged to have been involved in the gang rape of 14 year old daughter of the late monarch and multiple forgeries…
LIVERPOOL OWNERS VOW PHILIPPE COUTINHO WILL STAY TO KILL OFF BARCELONA’S HOPES OF A TRANSFER
Fenway Sports Group supported Jurgen Klopp’s repeated insistence that the 25-year-old is not for sale this summer at any cost
Liverpool’s owners have shut down Barcelona’s pursuit of Philippe Coutinho by stating “no offers will be considered” and he will remain a Liverpool player when the window closes.
Fenway Sports Group supported Jurgen Klopp’s repeated insistence that the 25-year-old is not for sale this summer at any cost
Having swiftly turned down two bids from the Catalan club for the Brazil international – the last of which totalled €100 million – Fenway Sports Group have supported Jurgen Klopp’s repeated insistence that the 25-year-old is not for sale this summer at any cost.
“We wish to offer clarity as regards to our position on a possible transfer of Philippe Coutinho,” a statement on behalf of FSG read.
“The club’s definitive stance is that no offers for Philippe will be considered and he will remain a member of Liverpool Football Club when the summer window closes.”
Reports emanating from Spain and Brazil on Tuesday suggesting a deal had been agreed between both sides for the playmaker was dismissed to Goal, with the Reds having never wavered from their position that there would be no negotiations over a sale.
Coutinho signed a new five-year contract without a release clause in January, which emboldened Liverpool to promptly and strongly rebuff Barca’s approaches. Goal.com
Stop taking credit for our projects – NDC to Akufo-Addo
The Western Regional caucus of the National Democratic Congress has admonished the ruling government to focus on its core mandate and desist from propaganda, GhanaWeb reports.
In a press conference addressed by its Deputy, Communication Officer, Dr Richard Kirk-Mensah, stated that most of the developmental projects in the region were started by the former NDC government as such the ruling NPP can’t take the credit for them.
some roads construction currently going on in the Metropolis were signed and awarded by the previous NDC government hence the NPP government should give credit to the previous government led by His Excellency John Mahama when it is necessary. He noted
He mentioned projects like railway expansion works, Takoradi ports expansion, Sekondi-Takoradi street light projects, Takoradi hospital project, Sekondi youth centre among other projects.
He, however, added that government is a continuous process hence the NPP government should continue the landmark infrastructural projects the NDC government led by His Excellency John Mahama initiated in the Metropolis and other areas in the Region.
“The communication outfit of the NDC in the Region will continue to expose the lies of this propaganda propelled government being led by President Nana Addo and his Vice Dr. Bawumia”, he emphasized.
Below is the full statement;
Stop the propaganda and let us see the change we voted for
Good morning Ladies and Gentleman from the media, and the entire citizenry of Sekondi -Takoradi.
We all know that the President of the Republic is on a three day tour in the Region and it is scheduled that the president will be in the sekondi Takoradi metropolis this morning.
Let me use this medium to welcome him to our peaceful Metropolis.
It has been in circulation for the past few days that the President of the republic among his visit to the metropolis will inspect the ongoing market circle asphaltic overlay being executed by Justmoh construction limited. We wouldn’t have been bothered if the president is only inspecting the ongoing works and give credit to the previous NDC government which awarded and started this magnificent edifice that has beautified and given a facelift of the metropolis which happens to be the 3rd biggest in the country.
Our main concern is the lies and deceit that NPP communicators in the metropolis peddling about such project hence my outfit need to set the records straight.
We are reliably aware of documents that the ongoing road construction works in the metropolis especially the asphaltic overlay, the Kansawrodu by pass 2nd phase, Effia Nkwanta – Fijai by pass etc are roads that were signed, awarded and started by the previous government.
Ladies and gentlemen for the avoidance of doubt let me give you a brief history of such a project. In 2014 when the then President visited the Western Region;
The Chiefs in the Metropolis requested the NDC government to take a look on the roads in the metropolis, hence the then President, His Excellency John Mahama promised the people of Sekondi Takoradi that very soon a contractor would be on our roads, in fulfilling his promise in April 2015 a sod was cut to commence the 1st 25km asphaltic overlay in Takoradi.
Subsequently, another 25km was added and the in 2016 the last 25km was also awarded, making it a total of 75km.
The current ongoing asphaltic projects you are witnessing in the Sekondi Takoradi are part of the last 25km that the Justmoh construction is undertaking to complete his projects.
We believe the government is a continuum process and we expect the current government to continue the landmark infrastructural projects the NDC government led by His Excellency President Mahama initiated in the metropolis but give credit where it is due to it predecessors.
We talking about projects like the almighty railway expansion works, Takoradi ports expansion, Sekondi Takoradi street light projects, Takoradi hospital project, Sekondi youth centre project, dualization of the main Sekondi Takoradi road and much more…
It is strange that NPP continues to peddle lies even after they have successfully lied their way to power.
I challenge the NPP government to provide any documented evidence of any road contract they have awarded or signed in the Metropolis ever since they assumed office seven months ago.
The communication outfit of the NDC in the Region will continue to expose the lies of this propaganda propelled government being led by President Nana Addo and his Vice Dr. Bawumia.
We believe in a matter of time Ghanaians will know the mistake they have done by exchanging their brand new smart coloured TV with old outmoded black and white TV.
God bless Sekondi – Takoradi. God bless Western Region and God bless Ghana.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul on Friday harshly criticised President Donald Trump for his remarks about Russia’s recent expulsion of U.S. diplomats.
Mcfaul said Trump should have retaliated.
Trump and Putin
On Thursday, Trump expressed his gratitude toward Russian President Vladimir Putin for expelling 755 US diplomats from Russia, since the decision would help the government save money in the salary budget.
“One of the most embarrassing, unpatriotic, and uninformed comments our president has made (recently) …
“When Obama kicked out 35 Russian diplomats, Putin — a ‘strong’ leader admired by Trump — retaliated.
“In response, Trump did nothing. Weak,” McFaul posted on Twitter.
In a follow-up tweet, the former ambassador asked why Trump, taking into account his “admiration” for Putin, did not act in a similar manner of his counterpart by responding to Russia’s move.
“If Trump admires Putin, why doesn’t he act like him? Putin didn’t roll over when we kicked out 35 of his, but
Trump did in response to 755,” McFaul wrote on his Twitter page.
In December 2016, then President Barack Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats and banned Russia from accessing two of its diplomatic compounds.
The decision came as a response to Russia’s alleged interference in the U.S. election, which Moscow has repeatedly denied.
In late July, Moscow announced that the diplomatic presence of the U.S. in Russia would be cut by 755 people to 455, the same number of diplomatic personnel that Russia currently has in the United States.
The Kremlin said it was a response to the 2016 ouster of 35 Russian diplomats and sanctions passed by the U.S. Congress in July.
![Former President Goodluck Jonathan [Photo Credit: Ikenga Chronicles]](https://i2.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2017/02/Goodluck-Jonathan.jpg?resize=526%2C283)
