Nii Tetteh Addy Obaklante II, Okaishie Mantse has called for peaceful, unity and development as this year's Homowo Festival has been celebrated very well.

Speaking during the sprinkling of Kpoikpoi, he said peace is needed for positive development and noted that the cultures and traditions must be respected.

He noted that President John Dramani Mahama has also been able to bring about peace and development due to his experience in politics.

Nii Okaishie appealed to his people to demonstrate love and unity so the development projects can be done in peace.

He congratulated and commended President Mahama and his government for their work done within eight months.

According to him, President John Dramani Mahama went through the political mill by passing through different positions including Member of Parliament, Vice President and now President like how he also became an Asafoatse and now Mantse.

He said experience and loyalty are very important and hoped Ghanaians will support the President to succeed, likewise the people of Okaishie will also live in peace to attract development.

By Amos Aggrey and Sammy Heywood Okine  

Ghana's Muay Thai and Kickboxing Ambassador Gerald Dah will climb the ring once again for the Malaysia UXR showdown.

The event is taking place in the city of Kuantan, Pahang on 26/27 September 2025.

The ace Ghanaian fighter who has made big name in Malaysia is paired against. Mahamed Bin Mahmoud in the 70kg weight division.

Speaking to Yours Truly in an exclusive interview ahead of the fight Gerald Dah said he is very well prepared to win again and put the name of Ghana and raise his natioal flag higher.

He expressed that MMA, Muay Thai and Kickboxing has created a platform for fighters and believed Ghana has the men to perform.

He called on the National Sports Authority,  Sports Writers Association and Ghana Kickboxing Association to work hard in developing and promoting combat sports

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Millennium Half Marathon has over the last decade, united athletes from Ghana and across the globe in a uniquely set race in the heart of the city of Accra.

The race is now a World Athletics certified running event in West Africa, bringing the dynamic Ghanaian culture and warmth to celebrate the spirit of running and sportsmanship.

This year's edition is fixed for Saturday September 6, 2025. The action spot is Osu in Accra. Starting at the Accra Sports Stadium Shell Filling Station and ending at the Black Star Square.

The prizes are attractive and fantastic. Winners, both male and female of this year’s Millennium Marathon will take home GHc75,000.

The organisers thank the sponsors and partners, notably KGLFoundation, Twellium Ghana Ltd, Qualiplast, Fidelity Bank, Interplast, Garmin, Star Oil, DNL, the National Sports Authority, Ministry of Sports and Recreation and government of Ghana.

Race Director Mrs. Cathy Morton has urged the youth to participate massively and have fun and they build their health. She noted that funds from the event go to charity.

By Sammy Heywood Okine    

The much anticipated Golden Jubilee (50th) Edition of the prestigious Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards has been fixed for November 15, 2025 at the Accra International Conference Center.

Sportsmen and women, officials and distinguished personalities who have excelled will be honoured at the ceremony.

The awards which begun in 1975, has been running without a break over the years. It is the longest running awards event in Ghana.

Over 1000 people have been recognized and awarded by SWAG over the years.

Meanwhile the Planning Committee and Executive are appealing to corporate Ghana to sponsor and support the event as sports brings Ghanaians together.

By Sammy Heywood Okine    

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games bronze medalist Samuel Takyi aka 'Ring Warrior' has accepted the challenge from Joseph Commey who recently won the National Lightweight title.

According to Takyi. the 2021 SWAG Sportsman and Boxer of the year who is currently on a training tour in UK, he has accepted to fight on condition that the bout is staged by a competent promoter like Legacy Rise Sports Promotions with a good take home purse for the winner.

He noted that most of the local promotions are not rich and do not offer attractive purses to boxers.

He said if boxers are paid well, they will fight.

The man who made history after winning Ghana's Olympic only medal after almost 30 years is lacing his boots and gloves to fight in Nigeria. His current manager is Michael Amoo Bediako of Streetwise Boxing and his corner is handled by experienced Dr. Ofori Asare.

Joseph Commey aka 'Jaguar' on the other side missed the SWAG Award in 2022 after being nominated however he was named Boxing Ghana's Boxer of the year in 2024. He is a silver medalist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Scotland. He was crowned UBO Africa Lightweight Champion after his first professional bout.

According to Commey, he is challenging Takyi for boxing fans to see and know who is the best among them. He is trained by Ebenezer Adjei at the Black Panthers Gym at Jamestown and managed by Alex Ntiamoah Boakye of Box Office fame.

Both boxers represented Ghana at the 2023 African Games held in Accra and won gold respectively, after excellent performances at the Bukom Boxing Arena.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Asante Kotoko beat Bibiani Gold Stars 1-0 to lift the Champion of Champions title on Sunday at the Dun’s Park in Bibiani.

Gold Stars, last season’s Ghana Premier League winners, faced the FA Cup holders in a keenly contested clash that promised more than silverware, as both teams sought momentum ahead of the league kickoff on September 12. Fresh from winning the GHALCA Top 4, the Miners entered as favourites, while Kotoko had failed to win a game in the pre-season tournament. Yet it was the Porcupine Warriors who prevailed.

Kotoko settled quickly, dominating possession, though Gold Stars threatened with a dangerous first-half free-kick that was expertly saved by goalkeeper Frederick Asare Camara. With few clear chances, the opening half ended goalless.

The breakthrough arrived in the 68th minute when midfielder Hamzata pounced on a loose ball from a set-piece, slotting home decisively. Gold Stars pressed late on, but Kotoko’s backline held firm.

The victory secured Kotoko’s fourth Champion of Champions crown, boosting coach Karim Zito’s side ahead of their CAF Confederation Cup campaign, while Gold Stars must regroup for their Champions League challenge.

Source GhanaSoccrernet

Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease transmitted by sand flies, continues to devastate communities across Africa, with Ghana’s Volta and Oti Regions among the hardest hit. While the disease exists in two major forms, visceral and cutaneous, both are marked by painful symptoms, limited treatment options, and growing drug resistance.

In Ghana, outbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis have persisted since the early 2000s, with recent studies revealing alarmingly high exposure rates. A 2021 survey found that 41.8% of individuals across three communities tested positive for Leishmania parasites, with Keri village peaking at 55.1%. Ulcer biopsies showed 87% positivity, often complicated by co-infections such as Haemophilus ducreyi, making diagnosis and treatment even more challenging.

But amid these sobering statistics, a new wave of innovation is emerging, led by Ghanaian scientist Aaron Boakye, a PhD candidate in Biochemistry at the University of Utah. Mr. Boakye has pioneered a hybrid approach to drug discovery that blends ancestral knowledge with modern computational tools, offering fresh hope for diseases long overlooked by global pharmaceutical pipelines.

Mr. Boakye’s research targets Leishmania donovani, the parasite responsible for visceral leishmaniasis. Using molecular simulations, he’s investigated two key enzymes, OASS and PTR1, that the parasite relies on for survival and drug resistance. These enzymes are either absent or structurally distinct in human cells, making them ideal candidates for selective treatment.

Through virtual screening, Boakye identified synthetic compounds ICA-2 and ICA-3 as promising inhibitors of OASS. But it’s the plant-derived molecules grifolin, piperogalin, and licochalcone A that have captured attention. Sourced from traditional medicinal plants, these compounds bind tightly to PTR1 and remain stable under simulated physiological conditions, suggesting real therapeutic potential.

“This isn’t about replacing traditional drug development,” Mr. Boakye explains. “It’s about using digital tools to refine and validate what traditional medicine has long offered.”

His work underscores a broader truth: across Africa, communities have used plant-based remedies for centuries to treat infections and inflammation. Now, with open-access software, cloud computing, and publicly available datasets, African scientists can explore these remedies with unprecedented precision without the need for massive budgets or high-end labs.

Mr. Boakye is especially intrigued by the concept of dual targeting, blocking both OASS and PTR1 simultaneously to reduce the parasite’s ability to adapt and resist treatment. It’s a strategy that could reshape how we approach drug resistance in parasitic diseases.

More than a scientific breakthrough, Mr. Boakye’s work is a call to action. It demonstrates how Africa’s rich biodiversity and traditional knowledge can guide precision medicine, and how computational tools can democratize drug discovery for underserved regions.

“In the fight against leishmaniasis and other neglected diseases,” Boakye says, “our greatest strength may lie in the synergy between tradition and technology. Sometimes, the answers are already growing around us, we just need better ways to listen.”

Related Links

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44371-024-00032-8

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07391102.2023.2166119

https://seriesscience.com/antileishmanial-medicinal-plants/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020751915001484

https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0009413

https://www.afro.who.int/countries/ghana/news/diagnosis-action-whos-efforts-strengthen-

ghanas-health-workforce-against-cutaneous-leishmaniasis

Source Aaron Boakye

Welbeck Olivierra Aryeh has won his fourth professional fight over experienced Francis Mensah by a spectacular fourth round knock out in Aflao in the Volta Region on Sunday August 31.

Welbeck Olivierra Aryeh who loves to be called 'King of Astana' said the bout was a learning curve and thanked the promoter and fans who contributed to the event.

He acknowledged that boxing programmes should spread across the country.

He said the people of Aflao in the Volta region also deserve good boxing entertainment.

" I’m having (4)four undefeated fights winning three by way of knockout, and gradually moving towards a title shot" he told Yours Truly.

Aryeh trains at Coach Asare’s Wisdom Boxing Gym.

By Sammy Heywood Okine 

Four boxers who are managed by Ivan Bruce Cudjoe's Cabic Management & Promotions have promised more fireworks in up coming bouts and made public their target of winning more titles.

In exclusive interviews with Emmanuel Mankatah (UBO Africa Super Featherweight Champion), Kofi Dana (UBO Welterweight Champion), Emmanuel Quaye (West African Super Welterweight Champion) and Michael Darko aka The Chorkor Dynamite on The Big Fight Night on Omashi TV, they promised to uplift their performance and go for bigger and popular titles.

Led by Matchmaker / Ring Announcer Sam Nana Gold, he said these new breed of Cabic Management and Promotions boxers are very committed, confident, strong, serious. disciplined and capable of winning laurels for themselves and the nation.

Emmanuel Mankattah, the silent killer, and Kofi Dana who performed on the recent Bishop Boxing Promotions Bill were a delight to watch as they dished out real powerful punches to win in style.

Kofi Dana who hails from the northern part of Ghana said he struggled a bit when he started boxing, but now he has learnt many things and has transformed. He has challenged all Ghanaian contenders in his weight class. He has challenged two opponents in the Ghana Armed Forces.

Emmanuel Mankattah has also showed what he can do, and has even called out Wasiru Mohammed for a Showdown.

Michael Darko noted that opponents are running away from him, but he will corner them and let them fight because boxing is the business and they must fight to know their strength and capabilities. His next fight should be against Mustapha Kamoko, son of former popular boxer Bukom Banku.

For Emmanuel Quaye, who is a veteran at Cabic Management, he has seen it all on the local front and wants to go international by engaging boxers on the African continent and other parts of the world.

"My target is a world title and when the chance comes I will never disappoint, I am training under Coach Asare for the big one" he said.

Sam Nana Gold announced pending promotions by Cabic in October and December which will feature all the four boxers and others at the Idrowhyt Events Centre at Dansoman.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Four boxers who are managed by Ivan Bruce Cudjoe's Cabic Management & Promotions have promised more fireworks in up coming bouts and made public their target of winning more titles.

In exclusive interviews with Emmanuel Mankatah (UBO Africa Super Featherweight Champion), Kofi Dana (UBO Welterweight Champion), Emmanuel Quaye (West African Super Welterweight Champion) and Michael Darko aka The Chorkor Dynamite on The Big Fight Night on Omashi TV, they promised to uplift their performance and go for bigger and popular titles.

Led by Matchmaker / Ring Announcer Sam Nana Gold, he said these new breed of Cabic Management and Promotions boxers are very committed, confident, strong, serious. disciplined and capable of winning laurels for themselves and the nation.

Emmanuel Mankattah, the silent killer, and Kofi Dana who performed on the recent Bishop Boxing Promotions Bill were a delight to watch as they dished out real powerful punches to win in style.

Kofi Dana who hails from the northern part of Ghana said he struggled a bit when he started boxing, but now he has learnt many things and has transformed. He has challenged all Ghanaian contenders in his weight class. He has challenged two opponents in the Ghana Armed Forces.

Emmanuel Mankattah has also showed what he can do, and has even called out Wasiru Mohammed for a Showdown.

Michael Darko noted that opponents are running away from him, but he will corner them and let them fight because boxing is the business and they must fight to know their strength and capabilities. His next fight should be against Mustapha Kamoko, son of former popular boxer Bukom Banku.

For Emmanuel Quaye, who is a veteran at Cabic Management, he has seen it all on the local front and wants to go international by engaging boxers on the African continent and other parts of the world.

"My target is a world title and when the chance comes I will never disappoint, am training under Coach Asare for the big one" he said.

Sam Nana Gold announced pending promotions by Cabic in October and December which will feature all the four boxers and others at the Idrowhyt Events Centre at Dansoman.

By Sammy Heywood Okine