Ghana is currently facing severe economic challenges, with soaring government debt and a record inflation rate of 54% in December 2022. Adongo's comparison of Bawumia to Maguire was widely shared on social media and drew criticism from England manager Gareth Southgate, who called it "ridiculous treatment." Maguire's mother also defended her son, stating that the abuse he has faced is disgraceful and unacceptable.
Some Ghanaians have reacted to Adongo's apology by acknowledging Maguire's improvement as a player but questioning the performance of Ghana's economic managers. The Ghanaian government has had to increase taxes and tariffs on services as part of its agreement with the IMF, leading to widespread anger among voters and protests over the rising cost of living and unemployment.
Despite these challenges, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has selected Bawumia as its candidate for the 2024 elections. If elected, he will be the first Muslim to contest the presidency under the NPP's banner since 1992. Bawumia has promised to lead a united and energized NPP and transform Ghana.
In conclusion, Isaac Adongo has apologized to Harry Maguire for mocking him and acknowledged his contributions to Manchester United. However, Adongo continues to criticize Vice-President Bawumia's economic management. The economic challenges faced by Ghana, including a loan from the IMF and protests over the rising cost of living, have sparked debate among Ghanaians. Despite this, the NPP has chosen Bawumia as its candidate for the upcoming elections, with promises of transformation and unity.
Original news source: Harry Maguire: Ghana MP Isaac Adongo sorry for mocking Manchester United star (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students will read the article and collaboratively write a summary of the main points. They should focus on condensing the information and highlighting the key events and opinions mentioned in the article. Afterward, each group can share their summaries with the class and compare their findings.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups – one in favor of Isaac Adongo's apology and the other against it. Each group will prepare arguments to support their stance and then engage in a class debate. Students should use evidence from the article to support their opinions and try to persuade their classmates to agree with their viewpoint.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Provide students with a list of vocabulary words from the article. In pairs or small groups, students will take turns drawing a word while their teammates try to guess what it is. The words can be related to the article's content or specific terms used within it. This activity will help reinforce vocabulary comprehension and improve communication skills.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students will create attention-grabbing headlines for the article. They should aim to capture the main points and generate interest in the topic. Afterward, each group can present their headlines to the class and explain why they chose them. This activity encourages creativity and critical thinking.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Students will imagine themselves as economic analysts and predict what the future holds for Ghana's economy based on the information in the article. They should consider the current challenges and trends mentioned and make educated guesses about how they might unfold. Students can present their predictions to the class and compare their ideas. This activity promotes analytical thinking and the use of language for speculation and prediction.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Isaac Adongo issued an apology to Harry Maguire for mocking him during a budget debate.
Isaac Adongo compared Vice-President Bawumia's economic management to Harry Maguire's performances on the pitch.
Gareth Southgate called Adongo's comparison "ridiculous treatment" and criticized it.
Ghana is currently facing severe economic challenges, including soaring government debt and a record inflation rate of 54% in December 2022.
Some Ghanaians have acknowledged Harry Maguire's improvement as a player but questioned the performance of Ghana's economic managers.
The Ghanaian government has had to increase taxes and tariffs on services as part of its agreement with the IMF.
The governing New Patriotic Party has selected Vice-President Bawumia as its candidate for the 2024 elections.
Vice-President Bawumia has promised to lead a united and energized NPP and transform Ghana.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Ghanaian Member of Parliament, Isaac Adongo, has issued an apology to Manchester footballer Maguire for mocking him last year. Adongo had compared Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia's economic to Maguire's on the pitch during a budget debate. However, Adongo now acknowledges Maguire as a "transformational footballer" and a key player for Manchester United. Despite this, Adongo continued to criticize Vice-President Bawumia, stating that Maguire is now at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with a cup in hand, referring to Ghana's economic crisis and the country's loan from the IMF. Ghana is currently facing severe economic challenges, with soaring debt and a inflation rate of 54% in December 2022. Adongo's comparison of Bawumia to Maguire was widely shared on social media and drew criticism from England Gareth Southgate, who called it "ridiculous treatment." Maguire's also defended her son, stating that the abuse he has faced is disgraceful and unacceptable. Some Ghanaians have reacted to Adongo's apology by acknowledging Maguire's improvement as a player but questioning the performance of Ghana's economic . The Ghanaian government has had to increase taxes and tariffs on services as part of its agreement with the IMF, leading to widespread anger among and protests over the rising cost of and unemployment. Despite these challenges, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has selected Bawumia as its candidate for the 2024 elections. If elected, he will be the first to contest the presidency under the NPP's banner since 1992. Bawumia has promised to lead a united and energized NPP and transform . In , Adongo has apologized to Harry Maguire for mocking him and acknowledged his contributions to Manchester United. However, Adongo continues to criticize Vice-President Bawumia's economic management. The economic challenges faced by Ghana, including a loan from the IMF and over the rising cost of living, have sparked debate among Ghanaians. Despite this, the NPP has chosen Bawumia as its candidate for the upcoming elections, with promises of transformation and unity.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is your opinion on politicians using sports analogies to make their points?
2. How would you feel if a politician in your country made a derogatory comment about a famous athlete?
3. Do you think it is fair for politicians to criticize athletes for their performance on the field? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the role of social media in spreading and amplifying controversial statements made by politicians?
5. How do you think Harry Maguire felt when he heard about the comparison made by Isaac Adongo?
6. Do you think it is right for Gareth Southgate, the England manager, to publicly criticize a politician's comments about a player? Why or why not?
7. How do you think Harry Maguire's mother felt when she heard about the abuse her son faced?
8. Do you think politicians should apologize for their derogatory comments? Why or why not?
9. How do you think Ghanaians feel about the performance of their economic managers, considering the challenges the country is facing?
10. What impact do you think the loan from the IMF has had on the daily lives of Ghanaians?
11. How do you think the rising cost of living and unemployment in Ghana have affected people's perception of the government's economic management?
12. What do you think about the decision of the New Patriotic Party to choose Bawumia as its candidate for the upcoming elections?
13. How do you think Bawumia's religious background as a Muslim will affect his chances of winning the presidency?
14. Do you think promises of transformation and unity are enough to win the support of voters in Ghana? Why or why not?
15. How do you think the economic challenges faced by Ghana will impact the outcome of the upcoming elections?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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