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A Triumph for Botswana, A Victory for Africa – Ras Mubarak celebrates Botswana

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Published:29 September 2025

Published: 6:38PM

As Botswana prepares to mark its 59th Independence Anniversary on September 30, 2025, the nation is already awash in jubilation. The streets may be quiet, with Botswanans retreating to their villages to celebrate with kith and kin, but the air hums with pride and possibility.

This euphoria stems not only from the upcoming national milestone but also from a historic triumph that has reverberated across the continent. Botswana’s men’s 4x400m relay team (Lee Bhekempilo, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi) secured Africa’s first-ever gold medal in this event at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

This victory is no small feat. For decades, the United States, with its population of 350 million, has dominated the men’s 4x400m relay, clinching the last ten editions of the championship. Yet, from “small Botswana” – a nation of just 2.4 million people — emerged a team of gallant runners who defied the odds. They outran not only the Americans but also formidable competitors like neighboring South Africa, with its 63 million citizens.

In a David-and-Goliath moment, these athletes proved that neither the size of one’s country nor the location of one’s address can stand in the way of greatness. Their triumph is a beacon of hope, a testament to African resilience, and a clarion call for unity across our diverse continent.

The Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign, which I am honored to lead, arrived in Botswana on Saturday, September 28, 2025, as the 11th stop on our 163-day, 40,000-kilometer road journey across 39 African nations.
Endorsed by several African governments, our mission is to promote intra-African tourism, advocate for a visa-free policy for all African nationals, and foster a united Africa where borders do not divide but connect us.

From Togo to Namibia, we have witnessed the power of shared dreams and collective action, engaging government officials, diplomats, the media, and communities in a vision aligned with Agenda 2063.

In Botswana, we found a nation in celebration, not only of its sporting heroes but also of its enduring spirit. President Duma Boko, in a gesture of national pride, declared a paid day off to honor the relay team’s historic victory, setting the stage for the Independence Day festivities.

Despite the long holiday, with many Botswanans away in their villages, the Government of Botswana has exemplified Pan-African solidarity by arranging for the Honourable Minister for Presidential Affairs, Moeti Mohwasa – a very senior cabinet Minister – to receive our delegation. We are deeply grateful for this warm welcome and look forward to a productive meeting to discuss how Botswana’s leadership in sustainable tourism and regional integration can amplify our campaign’s goals.

Botswana’s story—its rich cultural heritage, its stewardship of natural wonders like the Okavango Delta, and now its athletic prowess—mirrors the aspirations of our campaign. Just as the relay team showed that small nations can achieve monumental victories, we believe that a united Africa, free of visa barriers, can unlock boundless opportunities for tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.

Botswana, with its forward-thinking governance and commitment to African unity, is poised to lead this charge.

As we celebrate Botswana’s independence and its recent triumphs, let us also celebrate the broader African spirit— one that dares to dream, competes without fear, and embraces unity as strength. The Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign calls on all Africans to rally behind this vision. Let us make our continent a place where every citizen can travel freely, where every nation’s story is shared, and where every victory, like Botswana’s, belongs to us all.


Ras Mubarak,
Campaign Leader.
Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign
Endorsed by the Governments of Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Namibia.

OpenAfrica #OpenOpportunities

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GALOP Project: Tamale Mayor cuts sod for construction of 6-unit classroom block at Zakaliyili

Published by Inusah Dondaliya

25th February 2026

The Mayor of Tamale, Adam Abukari Takoro has cut sod for construction of 6-unit classroom block at Zakaliyili, a farming community under Tamale South Constituency, aimed at increasing access to education and providing educational infrastructure to communities where there are no public schools.

This reflects the wish of the community members as access to basic education has been a challenging one to their kids due to lack of community basic school, resulting to their children trekking several distant kilometers to seek education.

Following the ground breaking ceremony for the commencement of the construction of the 6-unit classroom block on Tuesday 24th February 2026, by the Tamale Mayor, the predicament of the children with school going-age will soon be over as the project is expected to be completed in 8 months’ time.

Hon. Abu Takoro cut the sod on behalf of the Education Minister and MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu under whose influence the project came to fruition through Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes project known as GALOP.

It forms part of shared commitment and responsibility of the MP and the Tamale Mayor not to only increase access to education within the area but to also ensure inclusive education at all stages especially at the basic level.

The Chief and and elders of Zakaliyili joined the Mayor and his team at the project site in the community to break the ground for the work to start in earnest.Also, Accompanying the Mayor for the sod cutting ceremony were officers from the Planning and Engineering department of the Tamale Metro Assembly and other senior staff.

Addressing the Chief and the elders during his courtesy call to the community Palace prior to the ground breaking ceremony, the Mayor urged the community members to collaborate with the contractors for smooth work on site, admonishing them to serve as watchdogs of the project against any theft of construction materials among other forces that can work against the progress of the work.

He also urged the engineers in charge of the project to hire the unskilled labor within the community as laborers for the construction works.

On behalf of the community, the chief expressed his happiness over the project, noting that children who hitherto move to long distances in search of education in other communities will soon heave a sigh of relief now.

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Ramadan: Alhaj Farhan supports selected mosques in Tamale with food items

Published by Inusah Dondaliya

20th February 2026

Some Selected Mosques in Tamale have received food and assorted items from the Managing Director of Ghana Commercial Bank, Alhaji Farhan Alhassan, aimed at supporting Ramadan Festive season.

The gesture by Alhaj Farhan Alhassan forms part of his philanthropic drive of giving back to the society through GCB’s Corporate Social Responsibility.

The beneficiary Mosques include Anbariya Mosque, Bambawuyya Mosque, and Tamale Central Mosque.

Each mosque received 30 bags of rice, 10 bags of sugar, 10 cartons of milk, 10 cartons of Milo, and 10 cartons of Lifton Tea. In addition, they were each gifted with 10,000 Ghana Cedis.

On behalf of the various Mosques, their representatives expressed profound gratitude to the MD for the gesture, praying to Allah for only not rewarding him back abundantly but shield him from evil in his field of work.

On his part, the MD of GCB, Alhaj Farhan Alhassan mentioned that the Bank is embarking on this gesture as part of its corporate social responsibility.

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Hon. Patrick Boamah donates 200 bags of cement to support construction of NPP N/R party Office

Published by Inusah Dondaliya

19th February 2026

The Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Hon. Patrick Yaw Boamah has committed resources to supporting the construction of NPP Northern Regional Office by donating 200 bags of cement to the Party Regional Executives.

The MP’s gesture forms part of his broader efforts to assist Regional Executives enforce completion of the project.

The Northern Regional Executives led by Chairman Mohammed Batimba Samba, last week, cut sod for construction of multi-purpose regional party office at Zogbeli in Tamale, aimed at ending long- aged problem of renting offices to spearhead party activities in the region including party’s operations and administrative work.

When completed the party office will contain 12 offices, a conference room, and guests rooms. Work is currently ongoing since the sod was cut and is expected to be completed in 6 months period.

Receiving the items, Alhaj Abdul Rahaman Mahama, the Northern Regional Second Vice Chairman of NPP, expressed his profuse gratitude to Hon. Patrick Yaw Boamah for his gesture, assuring that they will put it into good use to complement the construction of the project. He also lauded him for examplary leadership by extending his gesture beyond Greater Accra region to the Northern Region.

Alhaj Abdul Rahaman said “I will stand on behalf of the Regional Chairman and accept the items on behalf of the regional Chairman and say a very big thank you to Honourable Patrick Yaw Boamah and also say that we are so grateful to him for remembering us and also know that as a party man he is exhibiting leadership not only in Accra but all the way to Tamale, he is well appreciated. We will make sure that we put it into good use”.

Other Regional Executives present during the donation were Northern Regional Organizer, Rashid COP and the treasurer.

Patrick Yaw Boamah is a Ghanaian politician and member of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana representing the Okaikwei Central Constituency in the Greater Accra Region on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party.

Boamah entered parliament on 7 January 2013 on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party representing the Okaikwei Central Constituency. He was re-elected in the 2016 ,2020 and 2024 Ghanaian General Election to represent the constituency for a second consecutive term.

In parliament, he has served on various committees, some of which include; the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Foreign Affairs Committee.

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