Vodafone Denies Kwaw Kese's Allegations

Kwaw Kese Following allegations by rapper Kwaw Kese, that a Producer from Vodafone Icons called him to pay 10,000ghc in order for the rapper’s brother, Budda to win Vodafone Icons- Street Edition, the telecommunications company has responded to the claims. Kwaw Kese popularly known as Abodam disrupted the declaration of the winner of the reality show during the live recording last week Thursday, September 5, 2013 by walking on stage uninvited to register his displeasure. For several minutes, the artiste protested at the eviction of his brother Buda from the Top Two finalists and later alleged that he was asked to pay GHc10,000 for his brother to win. According to him, he strongly suspects that his refusal to pay the money deprived his brother of winning the reality show. A statement signed by Carmen Bruce-Annan, Head, Brand & Corporate Communications for Vodafone Ghana reads as follows: Our attention has been drawn to allegations in the media that Vodafone was biased in selecting the eventual winner for the Vodafone ICONS competition. Vodafone is a high integrity organisation that has zero-tolerance towards bribery and corruption. This is non-negotiable and under no circumstance will we compromise on this by demanding money from any contestant or their families. Vodafone ICONS results; including the eventual winner, are driven 100% through fans’ votes, which are sent by SMS and not public cheering. The public had the option of keeping a contestant in the competition by texting YES and candidate’s name or voting out a contestant by texting NO and candidate’s name to designated short codes. In order to ensure integrity and transparency, we appointed Mtech Communicationsand AtchikRealtime to independently manage the voting process and KPMG to independently review and validate the votes received. The collated votes from both Mtech Communications and AtchikRealtime were forwarded to KPMG for review. The review involved collating the relevant votes based on the voting criteria, applying weights to the votes (80% on “YES” votes and 20% on “NO” votes, and ranking the net votes). The final validated votes received from KPMG formed the basis for determining candidate’s eviction or otherwise.We want to reassure ICONS fans and the general public that we remain, as always an organisation of high integrity.       Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

VIDEO: 4Syte TV Marks 7th Anniversary By Paying Tuition Fees For Needy Tertiary Students

CEO of 4Syte TV, Ignace Hego According to CEO of 4syte Studios, Ignace Hego: “Our target is to aid 7 students or more who are in need of funds for their tuition fees. We started with Ibrahim Ansong who lives in Nkawkaw in Eastern Region and is currently a 4th year student of Regional Maritime University. For some adverse reason, he couldn't pay his tuition fees in his final year. He was recommended to the to us by Daniel Benjamin Nii Armah Attoh who happens to be his friend and a colleague.” After doing a little background check On Ibrahim, 4syte TV offered to help and his tuition fees was sorted with support from Ibrahim’s uncle. Ignace Hego concludes, “This is just the beginning, we are yet to also pay the tuition fees for four students in the University of Ghana, Legon. A ll of this was made possible with the help of our presenter Elia Qwaku Chebib of GhandBeyond”

Mahama to go unopposed in 2016

Plans are afoot at the National level to allow President John Dramani Mahama run unopposed in 2016 on the ticket of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), a source has disclosed.

The NDC’s National Executive Council (NEC) is meeting and peacefmonline is reliably informed that one of the issues tabled before the executives is a proposal that nobody contests a sitting president for the flagbearership position.

Mr Kojo Twum Boafo, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Free Zones Board dropped the hint on Peace FM’s premium morning show ‘Kokrokoo’.

If consensus is reached on the issue, it will mean President Mahama will run unchallenged in 2016.

It appears the party is taking a cue from what happened during the FONKAR/GAME incident when former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawllings, decided to contest for the flagbearership position against then President J.E.A Mills at the infamous Sunyani delegates congress.

FIFA World Cup Trophy To Tour Ghana In November

The Original FIFA World Cup Trophy will tour Ghana in November for two days. The world’s most coveted symbol of football will be on display for public viewing on 25 and 26 November. The 2013/14 Trophy Tour will visit 88 other countries during its 267-day duration for the third time in history. The first time the Original FIFA World Cup Trophy made an unprecedented tour was in 2006. The official opening ceremony took place at the iconic Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the presence of champions from each of Brazil’s five FIFA World Cup wins – Zagallo (1958), Amarildo (1962), Rivelino (1970), Bebeto (1994) and Marcos (2002). The event evoked vivid memories of their great success and the time when they held world football’s greatest prize.       Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Kevin-Prince Boateng Reveals Hard Kumasi Pitch Prevented Him From Completing Black Stars Comeback

Kevin-Prince Boateng says the unfavourable pitch at the Baba Yara Stadium made it practically impossible for him to play for Ghana with his troublesome knee in the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Zambia. The new Schalke recruit was expected to make a first team comeback for the Black Stars last Friday haven rescinded his decision to quit international football. He was however ruled out of the match which the Black Stars eventually won 2-1 with a knee problem. The 26-year-old has had several surgeries in an attempt to fix a recurring knee injury which is threatening his progress as a professional footballer. He has now revealed the hard surface in Ghana proved unfriendly to his troublesome knee – resulting in the decision to sit out the win over Zambia. “My knee didn’t feel quite right. The pitch wasn’t such a good surface to play on because it was a bit hard,” he told reporters on his return to Germany to resume club duties with Schalke. “That’s why the manager and I agreed that I would not play. Every footballer has his only little problems. “I have a few slight issues with my knee. But it is nothing terrible. I feel great again now and have also trained well over the last few days. So there is no cause for concern.” It is now unclear whether Boateng can ever play for the Black Stars in Ghana since the pitches in Accra and Kumasi – managed by Green Grass Technology – share similar features. Boateng’s disclosure has now only succeeded in heightening doubts over his commitments to play for the Black Stars despite his show of love for Ghana in a personal ‘lap of honour’ before the win over Zambia.       Source: Ghanasoccernet.com

David Duncan Blasts Ghana FA: It Is Unfair Only Kotoko Coaches Handle National Teams

David Duncan     Hearts of Oak coach David Duncan has unleashed a scathing attack on the Ghana Football Association for appointing only coaches from Asante Kotoko to handle national teams. The former AshantiGold coach believes there is no fairness in the appointment of national team coaches. He suggests that this has affected the invitation of players into the national teams on merit. Duncan was addressing a section of Hearts of Oak supporters during the clubs’ annual forum last week. “Now, I have been saddened by the situation our club finds itself in now because gone were the days when nobody could really take this club for granted,” the 49-year-old said. “Now everybody thinks Hearts of Oak is weakened so they do whatever they like and treat the club without respect. “I don’t know whether things things that have been going on nowadays you people have taken notice of. “Why should all the national teams be Kotoko people coaching coaching coaching, what is going on. “I don’t want to coach any national team and am not clamouring for any national team but clearly there is something going wrong somewhere. “It is not like there are no quality players in Hearts of Oak but the authorities in charge knows and a very aware that there is a lot of politics going on in the national teams because you have coaches from only one club taking control of all the national teams. “For instance Mahatma Otoo has been called so many times but for God’s sake give the boy a little chance. “Even in the recent friendly match when we presented a weakend team that was not even up to the number, the guy played just less than 15 minutes and you think there is fairness at the national teams.”       Source: Ghanasoccernet.com

CAF Throws Out Eliminated Zambia's Protest Against Zimbabwe...        |

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has thrown out a protest by Zambia over Zimbabwe’s use of a player who tested positive for banned substance, the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Tuesday. The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) had written to CAF contesting the eligibility of Chaf Devon Taitamba who tested positive after a World Cup qualifier match against Egypt on June 9, 2013. FAZ said that the player should not be allowed to play in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier last month when Zimbabwe beat Zambia 1-0 on aggregate. CAF forwarded the matter to FIFA which ruled that the player was eligible for the match because there was no sanction imposed on him at the time Zimbabwe played Zambia. According to a letter signed by CAF secretary general Hichan El Amrani, and addressed to CHAN organizing committee dated September 6, 2013, the continental body has already informed Zambia’s soccer governing body of FIFA’s ruling over the matter. Zimbabwe qualified for the CHAN finals to be held in South Africa next year.       Source: ghanasoccernet.com