Ghana 2009 Review

Jan 7

Prof. J.E.A. Mills and Mr. John Mahama are sworn in as President and Vice President respectively of Ghana, after a close run off with opposition party leader NPP's Nana Akufo-Addo

July 10-11

US President Barack Obama visits Ghana after attending G20 in Italy and addresses Parliament.

August

Chinese Ambassador donates Chinese language textbooks to University of Ghana, the privileged school to encourage teaching Chinese

Sept 6

Ghana national soccer team Black Stars beat Sudan team and became the first African nation to qualify for World Cup to be held in South Africa 2010

Sept 21

Ghana marks Centenary Celebrations of the birth of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the nation’s founder and first president after gaining independence in 1956.

Oct16

Ghana’s Black Satellites under-20 soccer team beat Brazil to win Africa’s first World Cup at the U20 soccer Championship held in Egypt.

Nov 10

MP runs his car into Parliament Speaker’s in an attempt to outsmart Accra traffic

Dec.

China tops Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) list for having the most registered companies in Ghana, but South Africa ranks the first in terms of the amount of the investment

Fireworks in October

Locals put out a big fireworks on display on this past Saturday night, and there is a good reason for it.

The Black Satellites successfully and historically beat Brazilian team to win the first ever U20 FIFA world cup. Although it is a win for a youth team, it is still indicates a bright future for the Black Star, the national team.

The year of 2009 must be a year of Ghana, first it peacefully transferred power to a opposition leader in a closest election ever, next it welcomed a fist African American President visit, becoming the first sub-Sahara country to receive Obama and his family. A while ago, the Ghana soccer national team stormed through qualify round and became the first African nation to enter the FIFA World Cup next year in South Africa, now the tomorrow soccer stars shine in Egypt to bring Ghana another trophy home.

Viva to the soccer players for bringing some cheers and lifting the spirits.

Ghana Reaches U20 Final

Ghana soccer team-the Black Satellites flying pass Nigeria and will face Brazil in U20 world cup currently held in Egypt.

Sometimes it seems nothing unites more people than soccer, at least among male fans. A room-full of coworkers won't come home after work but choose to gather to watch the soccer match on TV. They cheer, chat and chill, everyone is having a good time.

Amid the recent Newmont chemical spillage into a river, a report of more poverty among females and a fight for controlling the Ghana oil field even before a drop coming out, the Black Satellites certainly add some cheer and lift the spirit here.

All About U20

I wish it was a kind of UFO, but it is actual U20 that attracts all the attention now in Ghana.

The U20 stands for soccer world cup for Under 20 years old players, currently held in Egypt. If you meet someone on the street, especially a young men, he will tell you about the recent game in which Ghana's Black Satellites beat Uzbekistan by 2:1.

It could not be Ghana without talking about the national pastime, just like talking about the U.S. without baseball games. And when talking about soccer in Ghana, you will encounter street players around every corner of the city, much like pitchball to Americans and Ping-Pong to Chinese.

Speaking of soccer, Ghana's national team Black Star was beaten by Japanese team other day, and it was instant feeling of collective defeat. One local friend told me that before the game, the Japanese were beaten by Black Star every single time and they had been looking for revenge, and now they finally got it. He then clinched his teeth and I was feeling relieved for not being a Japanese.

Back to U20, as three time African Champion, Ghana team is heavily favored to take the World Cup. We will have to wait and see.