The newly elected executives of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) paid a courtesy call on the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, at the GFA Headquarters in Accra on Tuesday April 15, 2025.

John Ansah, chairman of the club’s welfare body, led the delegation and warmly received by President Simeon-Okraku and the leadership of the GFA.

The meeting served as an official introduction of the new GHALCA leadership to the Football Association, and a platform for discussion on key issues of mutual interest concerning the development and welfare of clubs across all divisions in the country.

The discussions focused on strengthening administrative structures, supporting club development initiatives, and fostering unity among stakeholders in the domestic game.

President Simeon-Okraku congratulated the new executives on their election and expressed confidence in their ability to steer the affairs of GHALCA effectively. He emphasised the importance of strong institutional partnerships in driving sustainable progress across the football pyramid.

Chairman of GHALCA, John Ansah expressed his gratitude to the GFA President for the warm reception and reaffirmed the association’s readiness to collaborate with the GFA to champion the interests of league clubs.

The meeting ended with a renewed spirit of cooperation and a firm commitment to deepening the partnership between GHALCA and the GFA for the benefit of Ghanaian football.

The Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, has called on Tamale residents to support the staff of Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) to fight illegal connec­tions in the area.

He said within the NEDCo area, over 50 per cent losses were attributed to the northern sector and 70 per cent from Tamale from illegal connection.

The minister made the call here in Tamale on Monday when he paid a courtesy call on the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Ali Adolf John Nburidiba, as part of his one-day official visit to the region.

He stated that the ministry was committed to ensuring stable power, adding that, “We want to ensure that we have reliable sup­ply of power and also to address the cost of related to power.”

Mr Jinapor also pointed out that Tamale Metropolis had been experience erratic power supply as results of illegal connections in the area.

The minister added that rev­enue collection was very key in the running of electricity in the country, hence the need for the people to pay their bills for the company to raise revenue to serve them better.

“Illegal connection in Ta­male is way above normal and a transformer that is supposed to serve 10 people because of illegal connections, it is serving 14 people and this leads to system overloads and leads to tripping and this leads to unreliable supply of power,” he stated.

He said it was in the interest of Tamale residents and its enclaves, especially the law-abiding ones, to support them to stop the illegal activities in the area.

Mr Jinapor stressed that illegal connection and non-payment for the consumption of electricity was a bad practice, adding that they had taken so much power from IPPs across the country and they must desist from the bad illegalities.

Moreover, the energy minster appealed to the residents of Ta­male to cooperate with the staff of NEDCo to execute their work diligently, as they would soon embark on mass disconnection exercises.

He also assured the staff of NEDCO his full support and backing to ensure that they engage and pursue their revenue mobilization drive.

Mr Jinapor urged the manage­ment of NEDCo to develop a payment plan for the people to adopt as they continue to enjoying electricity and also encouraged the media to help sensitise the residents to prompt payment of electricity bills.

The minister as part of his visit also paid courtesy calls on some chiefs in the metropolis to share his sentiments with them.

The Northern Regional Minis­ter, Mr Nburidiba, on behalf of the chiefs thanked the minister for the visit and assured the minister of the support and cooperation of the residents.

 FROM YAHAYA NUHU NADAA, TAMALE

 Christian reli­gious leaders have been urged to utilise their influence during the Easter period to promote the culture of cleanliness and sani­tation across the country.

This is because religious leaders can influence their followers to change their behaviour and mindset, particularly on the environment and sanitation.

The Minister of Local Govern­ment, Chieftaincy and Religious Af­fairs, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, made the call yesterday in Accra, when he and his entourage visited some Christian religious institutions, including the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Headquarters, and the Seventh Day Adventist Church, in the Greater Accra region.

The engagements form part of broader consultations being held with faith-based organisations to galvanise national support and community participation for the promotion of culture of cleanliness and sanitation.

Mr Ibrahim lamented the rapid rate at which plastic waste was being littered in the country, leading to the reduction or loss of soil fertility and the pollution of the environment.

He noted that managing sanita­tion and hygiene required col­laborative effort among relevant stakeholders.

Chairman of the CCG, Rev. Dr Hilliard Dela Dogbe, indicated that his outfit supported the govern­ment’s initiative to re-launch the National Sanitation Day, scheduled for May 3, 2025.

He assured that “We as the church wish to assure you of our support to make this vision a reality.”

Rev. Dr Dogbe also added that the Council acknowledged itself as a partner in development and appreciated the minister’s recogni­tion of religious organisations and traditional leaders as vital stakehold­ers in national development.

Such a partnership, he said, “would foster a better Ghana when all parties recognise their roles and work together.”

Again, Rev. Dr Dogbe said that churches had been promoting ethical leadership and environ­mental stewardship through its programmes such as Leadership Conference.

He emphasised that taking proper care of the environment was both a national duty and a Christian obligation.

However, Rev. Dr Dogbe noted that a day’s clean-up exercises may not be sufficient and proposed a continuous process for the collec­tion and disposal of waste.

He assured that the Council would ensure that its members em­braced the initiative wholeheartedly.

Moreover, Rev. Dr Dogbe suggested the incorporation of civic education in the country’s educational system, starting from childhood in order to enable the cit­izenry develop a sense of discipline, especially on waste management and environmental conservation.

Mr Ibrahim was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Reli­gious Affairs, Ms Rita Naa Odorley Sowah, Chief Director of the Ministry, Alhaji Amin Abdul-Rah­man, and other members of the ministry.