The Ghanaian Times urges the Senior National Team the Black Stars to go all out to win the trophy to appease Ghanaian soccer fans who have long yearn to see the AFCON trophy in Ghana. The paper notes that this year’s tournament is significant because it has been expanded from 16 to 24 countries to make it more competitive and bring the best out of African soccer. The paper also welcomes three debutantes, Namibia, Mauritania and Burundi, who are taking part in the tournament. The Times wishes the Black Stars the best to justify the hardwork, commitment and motivation from government. It is therefore asking nothing more than fair play and good officiating to boost the standard of African football.
The Spectator urges government to find lasting solution to illegal fishing activities. The paper calls for more stringent measures to entirely ward off criminal gangs and foreign cartels operating illegally in the fishing sector. The Spectator believes that if the menace is not checked, it will eventually lead to depletion of the country’s stock. According to the paper, Ghanaian fishermen suffer the brunt of this illegal fishing while the foreigners make huge profit. The paper said it is more worrying that instead of targeting only bottom dwelling species for which they have been licensed, these industrial trawlers, penetrate areas exclusively reserved for local artisanal canoe fishermen. This, the paper says affects food security and creates unemployment for the artisanal fishers. The paper believes that Ghanaians deserve the best and is therefore calling for an enforcement of the laws to stop this illegal practice to sustain the fisheries sector and better the livelihood of local fishers.