What will make the headlines in 2017?

Last year was perhaps one of most eventful ever experienced by the news media in the 21st century. While the intricacies of the Brexit vote and the US elections overshadowed international headlines, the presidential and parliamentary elections dominated the Ghanaian media landscape in 2016.

The New Year promises to continue this trajectory of spontaneity.

So, what will dominate the news headline in 2017?

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Nana Akufo-Addo’s appointments

President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo has already began making appointments to the various ministries and positions at the presidency. Akufo-Addo is expected to make even more hundreds of appointments when he officially takes over on January 7, 2017. These appointments include ministers and their deputies, ambassadors and high commissioners, district, municipal and metropolitan chief executives, the heads of various state agencies and boards.

Ghana at 60

The biggest hurdle for the new government would be to pull off a successful celebration of Ghana’s 60th independence anniversary. Aside the sixth of March, the Diamond Jubilee celebrations are expected to run throughout the year with activities expected in each region, town and village. In 2007, when the country turned 50, the celebrations, which was run by the same New Patriotic Party, were fraught with allegations of corruption.

AFCON 2017

The Black Stars will feature heavily earlier in the year (January and February) as the team vies for major silverware after a 35-year drought. The Black Stars finished second at the last edition in 2015 and as disaffection for the once beloved team grows, the players would be looking to save face with the winning of the trophy in Gabon. Failure to win it, will spell doom for the Stars.

READ ALSO: AFCON

The death and resurrection of pressure groups

The coming of a new administration traditionally also means the heralding of new pressure groups and the resurrection of old ones. Pressure groups aligned to the outgoing National Democratic Congress (but feign neutrality) are set to resume their activities now that the party is going into opposition. Conversely, those aligned to the incoming New Patriotic Party are expected to quell into the shells they sprang from during the reign of John Mahama.

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The Committee for Joint Action (CJA) and Crusade for Probity and Accountability are expected to see a rebirth while the Alliance For Accountable Governance (AFAG) are expected to go dormant during the reign of Nana Akufo-Addo.