The Daily Graphic devotes its front page to the spectacular opening ceremony of the 29th edition of the Beijing Olympic Games in China. The paper splashes on its front page a picture of excited spectators in the Majestic Bird’s Nest Stadium for the show. It also shows female Sprinter Vida Anim with the Ghana flag leading the Ghanaian contingent at the opening ceremony. Under the caption “Great show” the paper reports that 80world leaders including Ghana ’s President, Kufuor were on hand in Beijing for the show. It says just before the opening, President Kufuor in a pep talk with the Ghanaian contingent urged them to hold high the flag of Ghana and so win medals to enhance the nation’s pride.
Politics taking over national priorities is the lead story of the Ghanaian Times. The presidential Advisor on population, Health and HIV/AIDS, Professor Frederick Sai says the country’s ability to set national priorities is being eroded by what he calls the politics of permanent campaign which is eating into its body politic.. Professor was reacting to comments by a section of the populace who extolled the benefits of the recently introduced free maternal health care by the government and challenges facing the National Health Insurance scheme. Also featured on front page of the Times is “EC to meet over extension appeals”. It says the Electoral Commission is likely to meet soon to decide on whether or not to extend the voter registration exercise which ends tomorrow. The Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan stated this in a telephone interview with the paper Friday in reaction to a letter to him by the Interior Minister, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor. The front page also shows pictures of youths in long queue desperately waiting to register.
THE EDITORIAL
Registration fever is how the Ghanaian Times captions its editorial. It says, the registration exercise has been extremely stressful for thousands of people all over the country who have joined serpentine queues in an effort to get their names on the electoral roll. To the paper, apart from the early bird going to queue at dawn and some taking along chairs and kitchen stools for their comfort, it is reported that some people even queue all night in a bid to be first or among the first in line when the registration for day begins. The Times is however happy that so many people have seemingly woken up to the importance of the thumb power. In the opinion of the Times the EC should either extend the date or by another arrangement ensure that all eligible people in the queues will get their names on the electoral roll.
The Daily Graphic urges Ghanaians not to raise their expectations too high as the country joined the world to celebrate the Olympic Games which opened Friday in Beijing , but rather, look at the essence of the participation. It says as the players filed into the stadium, the Ghana flag for a moment caught the world’s attention as the Ghanaian contingents displayed the richness of Ghana ’s kente. To the paper, it must be heart-warming to note that after the mass boycotts of the Olympics in 1976, 1980 and 1984, boycotts now seem to be things of the past6. It says the present fight is rather against the shadow and manipulative side of sport as a result of the inordinate desire by drug cheats to win at all cost. In the opinion of the paper, the huge cost of hosting Games of this magnitude suggests that very few African cities can dream of hosting the Olympics.
