Ghana’s Minister for Youth and Sports Mustapha Yusif stoked what was feared to be a diplomatic spat when he recently criticized the Norwegian Embassy in Ghana for failing to ensure due diligence in the application process for some Ghanaians who entered Norway under the guise of being Paralympic athletes with nine out of an 11-member team going missing upon their arrival in Oslo for the Bergen Marathon this year.

According to a statement from the Ministry of National Security, addressed to the Sports Ministry and Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, one para-athlete, Nana Antwi, has been detained by Norwegian authorities, while the coach of the ‘team,’ George Gyamfi Gyasi, passed away shortly after being admitted to Oslo University Hospital following his collapse on April 28, 2024.

The National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah also noted in this memo, a copy of which was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, that the development had the “potential to hinder future Ghanaian sporting contingents” prompting the need for remedial action.

According to the National Security Minister, the Norwegian Mission in Ghana subsequently triggered alerts to Schengen Countries to explore possible arrest and repatriation of these para-athletes.

However, speaking exclusively Joy News’ Blessed Sogah on the sidelines of an official State visit by si Foreign Ministers from Nordic States to Ghana, Ingrid Mollestad stated “We have an Embassy here in Ghana, Ghana has an embassy in Norway and bilateral relations are excellent and I think for all the Nordic countries it’s the same. We are really good friends and I think this visit proves that fact very much”.

When asked about “recent developments” which had the potential of fracturing the relations, the Norwegian Diplomat retorted by saying “I must say, I do not know what you are talking about so I have no comments. I think Ghanaians are safe in Norway and Norwegians are safe in Ghana”.

The Foreign Ministers from the 6 Nordic Countries are travelling to Nigeria and Ghana within the framework of Sweden’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers (N5) – the informal foreign and security cooperation format between the Nordic countries.

The Ministers will discuss topics including global security, multilateral cooperation and increased trade and investment.

“The Nordic countries share long-standing, historical and cultural ties, and cooperate within several areas, including foreign and security policy. Nigeria and Ghana are stable democracies, important trading partners, key players in security in Africa and stand up for a rules-based world order. This visit is a valuable opportunity to enhance cooperation between our countries, in both bilateral and multilateral contexts,” says Mr Billström.

Key themes also include regional security, reform of multilateral institutions, climate change and the green transition.

On 15 August, Mr Billström and the Swedish delegation will travel to Lagos to discuss opportunities for enhanced cooperation between Sweden and Nigeria on trade, innovation and digitalisation.

Source: Myjoyonline

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This comes after reports that nine out of an 11-member team of Ghanaian para-athletes went missing upon their arrival in Oslo for the Bergen Marathon.

According to a statement from the Ministry of National Security, one para-athlete, Nana Antwi, has been detained by Norwegian authorities, while the coach of the ‘team’, George Gyamfi Gyasi, met his untimely death shortly after being admitted to the Oslo University Hospital after collapsing on April 28, 2024.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports also said it is actively working with relevant authorities to investigate the issue, insisting it had no knowledge of the team’s participation.

Already, the National Paralympic Committee has suspended three individuals who are being accused of masterminding the incident.

However, the Minority is insisting that a probe be conducted into the incident.

North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa insists the team did not even register for the event, which means they had no intention of participating in the game.

He added that, for the team to be able to break protocols and bypass institutions implies that there was more to the deal than what meets the eye.

“Diplomatic envoys or foreign service staff have questions to answer. They did not even register for the game. They had no intention to participate in the game,” he said.

President of the National Paralympic Committee Samson Deen claims his signature was forged.

“We engaged, we checked and we realised that the letter was written, they forged my signature, forged my letter and applied for visas for some people who are not athletes,” he said.

Touching on these comments, the legislator asked how these individuals obtained his letterhead and forged his signature without any assistance.

Mr Ablakwa said that in order to repair Ghana’s image internationally, there must be a probe.

“Clearly, there ought to be a probe and let the probe be transparent, let’s issue a report, let’s carry out institutional reforms so that it will send a very convincing message to international partners,” he added.

On July 3, 2024, the Ministry of National Security disclosed that nine members of a purported Paralympic team fled after being accused of impersonation.

11 athletes who obtained visas from the Norwegian Embassy in Accra to compete in the Fjordkraft Bergen City Marathon in Oslo on April 27 this year.

One team member, Nana Antwi, was apprehended while trying to leave Norway for Sweden with a one-way train ticket, while coach George Gyamfi Gyasi collapsed and later died at Oslo University Hospital.

In an interview with Joy Sports over the weekend, Mr Deen denied having signed a request for visa assistance from the Norwegian Embassy for the event.

He said Theodore Mawuli Viwotor, former Secretary General of the Ghana Paralympic Football Association, and Ernest Ayisi are behind the forgery.

In response to these allegations on Asempa FM‘s Ultimate Sports Show, Ayisi stated, “They [Norwegian Embassy in Accra] refused [for a visa]. They demanded a higher letter for the visa to be granted.

“Atongo [a member of the team] said he could get a letter [from NPC], which I did not see until they were about to travel.

“Deen [President of NPC] called me and Theo [former Secretary General of the Ghana Paralympic Football Association] on a conference call where we explained what happened and that Atongo had travelled with the team.

“My name is not on the list. I would have included my family if I wanted them to abscond. How can I forge a signature? I am illiterate. I explained to Deen, but he is adamant. The letter was from his office. Are people not working there? So why is he saying I have forged his signature?

“Ghanaians, I haven’t done it. Samson Deen, I did not do it,” he added.

The National Paralympic Committee has suspended Theodore Mawuli Viwotor, Yaw Ayisi, and the Ernestay Foundation pending further investigation into their alleged involvement in the incident.

This comes after reports that nine out of an 11-member team are missing upon their arrival in Oslo for the event.

According to a statement from the Ministry of National Security, addressed to the Ministries of Youth and Sports and Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, para-athlete Nana Antwi has been detained by Norwegian authorities.

Scandal: Ghana’s ‘Paralympic Team’ absconds in Norway

Deen, however, has disclaimed any knowledge of the individuals mentioned in the statement and has accused the parties involved of forging his signature on the visa application letter used by the alleged representatives.

Deen explained to Joy Sports, “Upon our checks of receiving this letter from the Ministry of Sports, we checked and realised that the letter was forged. Upon reaching out to them [Theodore Mawuli Viwotor, former Secretary General of the Ghana Paralympic Football Association, and Ernest Ayisi, founder of Ernestay Foundation] I asked how they got my signature, they indicated that one Adongo, based in Europe, is the one who forged my letter and all the signatures.”

He further clarified, “They forged my signature on the letter and applied for visas for some people who have no affiliation with the Ghana Paralympic Team.

“For this matter, the two remaining individuals have been suspended from anything that has to do with Paralympic Sports in the country.”

Video below:

EXCLUSIVE: The Paralympic President of Ghana discloses that the supposed para team arrived in Oslo after his signature was forged for visas to Norway and absconded afterward.#JoySports #SportsLink pic.twitter.com/UPW2NYVP4h

— #JoySports (@JoySportsGH) July 20, 2024

Tragically, George Gyamfi Gyasi, the coach of the team, passed away shortly after collapsing on April 28, 2024, and was admitted to Oslo University Hospital (ULEVAL).

In response to the incident, the National Paralympic Committee of Ghana has imposed an indefinite suspension on Theodore Mawuli Viwotor, Yaw Ayisi, and the Ernestay Foundation for their role in the matter.

The 2011 champions made the ideal start when Norway defender Ingrid Engen turned Hinata Miyazawa’s cross into her own net.

However, Norway equalised a few minutes later when Guro Reiten headed home.

Risa Shimizu’s heavily defected strike restored Japan’s lead before Hinata Miyazawa raced through to score a third and seal her side’s progress.

The goal cemented Japan’s place in the quarter-finals and kept Miyazawa on target for the Golden Boot – she leads the scoring charts in Australia and New Zealand on five.

Norway were second best for much of the game but almost set up an exciting finish when goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita superbly kept out Karina Saevik’s bullet header.

Japan will play either defending champions the United States or Sweden in the last eight.

Having failed to win in their opening two games and with star Caroline Graham Hansen criticising the decision to leave her out of the side, Hege Riise’s faltering team were in serious danger of finishing bottom of a group they were expected to breeze through.

But with Hansen restored to the side and the bit between her teeth in Auckland’s Eden Park, the Grasshoppers tore into their poor opponents to get the win that sees them finish second in Group A and sends the Philippines home.

Haug got the ball rolling in just the sixth-minute courtesy of a neatly taken back-post volley before then doubling her and her side’s tally 11 minutes later via a looping header.

Hansen underlined her importance with the third, scoring with a superb low shot from range – a key goal that gave Norway complete control of their fate, regardless of the scoreline in the other final group game between Switzerland and co-hosts New Zealand.

Norway then put the outcome completely to bed with two goals early in the second half – a bundled own goal from the unfortunate Alicia Barker and a Guro Reiten penalty.

The Philippines’ woes were compounded when substitute Sofia Harrison was sent off less than 10 minutes after coming on following a VAR review on a late challenge on Thea Bjelde.

In the middle of 11 added minutes, Haug completed her treble with another header and could have had a fourth but steered a sliding effort against the post.

Norway will now face the winner of Group C – which will be either Spain or Japan – in the last 16 in Wellington on 5 August.

Switzerland topped Group A after drawing with New Zealand in the other game played on Sunday.

Students defied heavy downpour in Norway’s second biggest city on Wednesday October 12, 2022 took to the streets of Bergen to demonstrate against the move by the government to introduce university tuition fees for international students outside Europe (Non-European Union and the European Economic Area students).

According to the students, if the national budget is approved by Sorting (Norway’s Parliament) it will further burden international students who study in Norway.

The nationalities of the demonstrators include Norwegians, EU students, Asians, Africa students and among others converged at the Blue Stone at Torgallmenningen.

The students came out in their numbers from both private and public universities in Bergen to show their displeasure to the government.

The demonstration was organised by the Student Parliament at University of Bergen (UiB) and the Student Council at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences or (HVL) to fight against the proposal by the government.

Public Norwegian universities do not charge tuition fees for international students, but students pay a semester fee of NOK 300-600 for each semester.

Stressing on the importance of the proposal for Norway’s 2023 budget, the Minister of Education, Ola Borten Moe, said Norwegian students who study abroad pay tuition fees so students of other countries studying in Norway too should also pay.

But the students believe that the move will prevent a lot of students from studying in Norway.

“The Norwegian government is breaking the principle of free education when they introduce tuition fees for international students. This breaks with their own election policy platform.

The principle of free education in Norway is a principle that is both important for students and researchers, and for the growth of diversity in our society. This has now been removed by the deceitful promise breakers, our dear government” a statement by the students stated.

“The government is also proposing to reduce the stipend to 40% for all students from the Autumn of 2023. We believe this is an unnecessarily strict policy change that will affect the students’ possibilities to study abroad and to exchange to other universities” they added.

Some of the students added that the proposal is an upfront to United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) goal 4 which is about quality education”Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.

They called on the Norwegian government and Parliament not to approve such fees in the 2023 budget.

One car went into the river but the truck involved remained on the bridge on a section that was raised out of the water.

The nearly 150-metre-long (500-foot-long) bridge opened in 2012 and had been checked in 2021.

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration said it wanted an independent investigation into the collapse.

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The Norwegian labour ministry confirmed it had stepped in to end industrial action set for later this week.

“Workers are going back to work as soon as possible. We are cancelling the planned escalation,” Lederne union leader Audun Ingvartsen told Reuters.

The Department for Business had insisted: “The UK has no issues with gas supply.”

The UK imports about 50% of its gas and Norway is its biggest supplier making up 77% of imports, ONS data shows.

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Oil and gas from Norway, Europe’s second-largest energy supplier after Russia, is in high demand as many countries reduce their dependence on Russian supplies in response to the war in Ukraine.

The industrial action started on Monday following a pay dispute between the employer’s organisation, the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association, and the union Lederne, which represents oil and gas workers.

The first phase forced the Norwegian energy company Equinor to shut down three of its oil and gas fields. More strikes were expected on Tuesday evening, impacting three more Equinor facilities.

The union had threatened to take further strike action from Saturday if the dispute was not resolved.

But labour minister, Marte Mjoes Persen, told Reuters the government had exercised its right to intervene.

“Norway plays a vital role in supplying gas to Europe, and the planned escalation [of the strike] would have had serious consequences, for Britain, Germany and other nations,” he said.

“The volume impact would have been dramatic in light of the current European situation.”

Reacting to the strike being called off, NOG, the oil lobby, said in a statement: “We are glad to see that the government understood the seriousness of the situation and acted to uphold Norway’s reputation as a reliable and stable supplier of natural gas to Europe.”

Norwegian gas arrives in the UK at two terminals – Easington in Yorkshire and St Fergus in Scotland.

It was Saturday’s planned strike that would have affected UK supplies as it would have temporarily closed the Sleipner field – a key distribution point for gas exports to the UK.

Norwegian-state owned Gassco had told the BBC “in a worst case scenario, from this Saturday there will be zero deliveries to Easington”, a gas terminal on the East Yorkshire coast, something reported by the Financial Times.

But while the potential strike action would only have impacted the operations at Easington, Gassco said that was by far the most significant of the two, receiving 80% to 90% of the gas from Norway.

The Department for Business said: “We have one of the most reliable and diverse energy systems in the world, with access to our own North Sea gas reserves, and the second largest LNG port infrastructure in Europe.”

Gassco transports gas to other European countries including Germany and Belgium. It’s thought strike action would have prevented up to 170 million cubic litres of gas from being delivered, around 50% of the total daily delivery amount from the company.

The colourful event and end of the year get-together took place on [Saturday] December 4, 2021 at Lyngbø Sportsklubb, Gravdalsveien 9, 5165 Laksevåg in Bergen, Norway.

The purpose of the National Union is to create a platform for networking and collaboration amongst the local and regional unions in Norway. In addition, the union will work for the welfare and common good of all Ghanaians living in Norway. 

The formation of the union will also collaborate with Ghana’s Embassy in Oslo, Norway to champion the interests of Ghana and Ghanaians in Norway regardless of which political party is in charge of affairs in Ghana.

The NUGN in Norway will also support national ‘non-partisan’ developmental projects in Ghana as a way of giving back to the Ghanaian society and be the voice and representative of all Ghanaian associations/unions in Norway in the planned larger Ghanaian Union.

Addressing the gathering, Mrs Lartey commended the various Associations and Unions for spearheading the agenda for the inauguration of the national union.

“You may recall that in the latter part of 2019, I made a clarion call for the various Ghanaian Unions and Associations in the respective cities in Norway to consider forming an umbrella body that will have one voice, one passion and one agenda to represent the Ghanaian Diaspora in Norway.  

“This was following my attendance at a similar launch of the Council of Ghanaian Associations in Denmark where I saw at first-hand, the importance and benefits of such a Union. It, therefore, gives me great joy to witness the inauguration and launch of our own National Union,” Mrs Lartey stressed on the importance of the union.

The maiden Food and Cultural event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 16, 2021, at 11:00 am at the Bergen International Cultural Center.

The event is aimed at exhibiting Ghanaian traditional dishes as well as other African and continental dishes for all above the age of six years.

The exhibition will also be used as a platform to educate and showcase children born in Norway but with Ghanaian lineage the best cultural practices from both Africa and Euro-Africa.

Addressing the press, the Founder of PFD, Gifty Ohenewaa Nordbø, said the children are the future leaders and thus the need for them to learn best cultural practices that will shape their lives in Norway now and in the future.

“The main goal for this [October] event is to involve our children and others in our daily activities such as dress, food, and culture,” she stressed.

“On a daily basis, our children are exposed to Norwegian foods and culture at school, with their friends, and even when they are at home. The challenge has always been how we as parents, coming from cultures whether Nigerian, Ghanaian, Liberian that are customarily different from those of Norway, to involve our children in our culture and customs and help them find a balance and blend the two.

“So this maiden Food and Cultural event is a golden opportunity to bring some of our culture and customs closer to our children and their friends and help them understand and embrace differences. The chance to meet and prepare food with the children is just the start of the learning process,” Gifty Ohenewaa Nordbø told the press.

Gifty Nordbø stressed on the importance of the event which she was optimistic will create a conducive atmosphere and an arena for interaction for children within the country.

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She added that some Ghanaian cooking utensils, artifacts, clothing, foods etc will be on display at the exhibition for the children to see.

The event, which is open to the general public, is expected to be graced by Norwegians, Ghanaians and other nationals from the African continent.

Speakers expected at the event include officials from Bergen Kommune, Frifond, Ghana Union Vestland & Associates, the Church of Pentecost International, Norway and other partners.

The exhibition is being funded by Frifond, with support from Bergen Kommune.

The new regulation comes as an amendment to Norway’s Marketing Act and has been brought in as part of the country’s efforts to tackle unrealistic beauty standards.

The law, which was introduced as part of a bill from Norway’s Ministry of Children and Family Affairs, will ensure that adverts and social media posts which manipulate the appearance of a person’s body are clearly marked.

When it comes into effect, any influencer who is making money off their posts will be required by law to label retouched posts with a mark designed by the government. 

The law was sanctioned by the Norwegian parliament on June 11 and applies to photos with any alterations that affect the appearance of someone’s body size, shape or skin, including even the use of simple filters.

The amendment reads: “The advertiser and the person designing the advertisement must further ensure that the advertisement where a body’s shape, size or skin has been changed by retouching or other manipulation, shall be marked.”

It passed with a clear majority vote of 72-15, but will only apply “from the time the King decides.” 

This law will also affect any companies advertising on social media who alter their posts to enhance their advertising and marketing campaigns, and is aimed at tackling content which “plays on social insecurity, bad conscience, low self-esteem or contributes to body pressure.”

The debate around body image and the effect of social media on ‘kroppspress’ (body pressure) has been a hot topic in Norway of late.

In the amendments to the Marketing Act, the ministry said: “The measure will hopefully make a useful and significant contribution to curbing the negative impact that such advertising has, especially on children and young people.”

Individuals or companies who breach the new regulations when they come into effect will face escalating fines and the possibility of imprisonment in extreme cases.

The talks suggest many Ghanaians are surprised to see the President in cold weather apparels because they are used to seeing him wear either suits or or African prints.

In one of the photos, the Ghanaian president is seen in the winter jackets seated in the company of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano.

On Tuesday, 25th February, 2020, at the invitation of the Norwegian Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, I visited Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago situated between continental Norway and the North Pole, to witness the deposit of some 60,000 new seed samples into the Svalbard Seed Vault.

The Svalbard seed vault is an attempt to ensure against the loss of seeds in other gene-banks during large-scale regional or global crises.

Tuesday’s deposit is the first big deposit to the Arctic facility since its upgrade, to future-proof it against climate change, taking the total number of seeds in the vault to more than a million, the President posted on his official Facebook wall.

Find the photos below:

This is how some Ghanaians reacted to the photos: