Category: Entertainment

The Centre for National Culture, Tema Metropolitan Office, in collaboration with?Gh?Media Schools, will host a three-day maiden cultural festival dubbed ‘December Fest 2023’ in Tema.?

The festival, which will be held from December 1st to 3rd, has the theme ‘Fostering Unity through Culture and Tourism’.?

Ms Sandra?Boison, the Director of the Centre for National Culture, Tema Metro Office, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview ahead of the festival that the programme had been well planned to whip up interest in culture ahead of the?yuletide.?

Ms?Boison?said on the first day, free skilled training would be organized for community members to learn beading and liquid soap making at T-Havanna, Tema Community Nine, the venue for the festival.?

She said there would be free health screenings for participants courtesy of the Tema General Hospital for the three days of the programme.?

She added that on December 1st, participants would gather at the forecourt of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) at 14:00 ho
urs to embark on a float through the principal streets of Tema, the General Hospital Road, and end at T-Havanna.?

The Tema Metro Cultural Director further stated that on December 2, the Tema?Mankralo?and the Tema Traditional Council would host other chiefs and traditional leaders from the various tribes in Tema,?Kpone, and Ashaiman at a durbar of chiefs, which would be followed by an exhibition and sale of arts and crafts at discounted prices.?

She said to unearth talents, an?artist’s?night would be held on the evening of day two of the festival, adding that artists would represent their neighbourhood in performances.?

Ms? Bosion?said on the last day of ‘December First’ there would be family fun games and cooking competitions among six zones of the Traditional Caterers Association to showcase their culinary skills in Ghanaian cuisines.?

?The six zones to compete are Tema Central, Tema East,?Kpone, Nungua,?Dodowa, and?Oyibi.?

To climax the event, she said the evening of the last day would see the organiza
tion of the ‘Yookpakpa’ fashion show, where fashion designers and those in the garment industry would use Ghanaian fabrics to make dresses fit for both formal and informal functions.?

Source: Ghana News Agency

Christele Codo, a hairstylist and public health student, was crowned the 2023 Miss Health Ghana at the culmination of the annual beauty pageant, which took place at the Labadi Beach Hotel on Sunday.

Dr. Omaima Mohammed Arab placed first runner-up; Lawrencia Bessah Esinu, a physician assistant, was second runner-up.

Dauda Faridatu and Dora Debra placed third and fourth runner-up, respectively.

The 10 finalists had competed in a fashion show and showcased amazing presentation skills, and the five-panel female judges, which included Dr. Grace Buckman, May Meskawi, Anne Coolen, Shallie Abbiusi, and Dr. Hannah Lisa Tetteh, came up with the aforementioned verdict.

This year’s event, hosted by former Queen Ohemaa Achiaa Agyekum, was themed ‘Health for All,’ which was aimed at creating awareness of the need to seek health care, especially for women and children.

Ms. Christele Codo, in her remarks, expressed gratitude for all who supported her on her road to success. ‘I would like to say a big thank you to every
one who supported me from here in Ghana and everyone around the world. Their words of encouragement boosted my morale, and I fought through to the end,’ she said.

Ms. Codo said she was poised to undertake various projects, which include the need for self-care with regard to effective hair therapy among women to prevent the spread of viral, fungal, and bacterial diseases.

She added that empowering women and sensitising the public about the need for health care in various diverse health areas

Madam Gladys Akyere Rockson, Chief Executive Officer of Lamrock Agency, the organisers of the pageant, also congratulated all the finalists for their brilliant displays.

‘I want to, first of all, congratulate the queens for their efforts, and I am hopeful that they will go out there and impact society.

‘Health, as we all know, is of the utmost importance to all, and we decided to create this platform to sensitise the masses about various issues, including the need for health and women’s empowerment,’ she said.

Madam
Gladys also said her outfit intends to give 10,000 menstrual cups for free as part of their campaign to promote healthy living.

This year’s Miss Health Ghana was supported by Sonotech, Gino, Belaqua, Accra City Hotel, Labadi Beach Hotel, and Matrix, among many others.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Obuasi East District Assembly has partnered CRISSPAN company, an Obuasi-based construction firm to construct a three-Storey hostel facility for students of the Obuasi campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST-Obuasi)

The 1,080 -bed capacity hostel is expected to address accommodation challenges facing students when it is completed within 24 months.

Established in 2019, the KNUST-Obuasi Campus, which is the first public tertiary institution in Obuasi, has been grappling with accommodation challenges as nearly 3,000 students struggle to find decent accommodation.

Currently, students are making do with available hostel facilities provided by the school and private individuals, which are woefully inadequate for the increasing student population.

It is based on this background that the Obuasi East District Assembly is taking steps to salvage the situation by partnering CRISSPAN to construct a new hostel facility under a Public Private Partnership arrangement.

At the sod-cutting
ceremony for the first phase of the project, which would provide accommodation for 432 students, Madam Faustina Ammisah, the District Chief Executive (DCE), said the initiative was aimed at finding a lasting solution for the accommodation challenges confronting the school.

‘We had to look around to see the appropriate remedies out there.

Key to this was the unavailability of land so we decided to pull down some old, dilapidated bungalows which AngloGold Ashanti relinquished to the Assembly some time ago,’ she observed.

She was optimistic that the completion of the project would create room for more students to be admitted.

Prof. Lawrence Darkwa, the Coordinating Dean of KNUST-Obuasi Campus, welcomed the project which he said would address a key challenge facing the university.

He said efforts were ongoing to make the Obuasi Campus a fully-fledged University, hence the need to upgrade facilities in the school.

He also spoke about the need to improve teacher-student ratio in the University and called on t
he government to give financial clearance for more lecturers to be recruited.

Nana Serwaa Bruwaa II, Queen Mother of Akrokerri Traditional Area, commended the Assembly for initiating such a laudable project to sustainably address the accommodation needs of the university.

‘I am particularly excited about this project and see it as step in the right direction because the Assembly has put the land into good use for the benefit of the district,’ she stated.

She was upbeat about the prospects of the University, stressing that it would contribute to improving the local economy of Obuasi and offer the youth of Obuasi and Adansi quality tertiary education.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra – The Interfaith Tourism World (ITW) Club, aimed at fostering unity among diverse faiths through travel, has been launched in Accra. This religious tourism club, comprising over 250 members, focuses on exploring the rich diversity of tourist sites in Ghana and beyond.

According to Ghana News Agency, President of the ITW Club, the initiative recognizes the significant role of religious heritage in reflecting the identity of a territory and its monumental value. He noted that religious tourism, encompassing pilgrimages, sacred site visits, and travel for worship or mission, is a vital niche within cultural tourism.

Boateng elaborated on the club’s mission, which extends beyond mere sightseeing. The club aims to shift perspectives and provide members with enriching experiences that allow them to see the world in a new light. He stressed that the club seeks to bridge the gap between different socioeconomic groups and foster unity among religious communities in Ghana.

Members of the ITW Club will enjoy a range of benefits, including travel, tour advantages, and social benefits. Boateng also mentioned plans for career guidance in tourism-related fields and recognition for members contributing positively to communities during exhibitions and fairs.

The club also plans to support its active members with financial aid and mutual support, including participation in literacy programs. Boateng announced a partnership with Adom Group of Companies and ANB Acrylic Limited to undertake a painting project for the Rising Star Orphanage home in Dodowa and make donations to selected individuals and orphanages as part of their social responsibility efforts.

Mr. Kofi Atta Kakra-Kusi, Deputy Head of Corporate Affairs at the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), highlighted the significant contributions of tourism to the nation’s development. He expressed the GTA’s support for clubs like ITW in elevating the tourism industry and boosting the economy. Kusi emphasized the critical role of domestic tourism and expressed optimism about the club’s impact on attracting more tourists, especially from the diaspora.

Madam Alisa Osei-Asamoah, President of the Tour Operators Union Ghana (TOUGHA), praised the establishment of the ITW Club as a great initiative for promoting tourism. She assured that TOUGHA would collaborate with the ITW Club to advance the tourism industry, particularly in domestic tourism.

The event concluded with the introduction of the ITW Club’s executive members, including Ernest K. Boateng as President, Faustina Yakubu as Vice President, and other key officers.

Tatale, Ghana – The Paramount Chief of Tatale, Obore Yankosor, has officially launched the 2024 Bassare Yam Festival, calling on Bassares living outside the traditional area to actively participate in the upcoming celebrations. The festival, a longstanding cultural event celebrated for hundreds of years, is an integral part of the Bassare community’s heritage.

According to Ghana News Agency, the festival represents a vital connection to the past, bridging the gap between generations and providing a sense of direction and purpose. He lamented the decline in the observance of certain cultural rites and emphasized the importance of festivals like the Bassare Yam Festival in maintaining cultural identity. The festival offers an opportunity for Bassares, both within and outside Ghana, to reunite with their families and engage in the community’s development agenda.

The paramount chief highlighted the festival’s significance as a time to mark the end of the farming season and prepare for a new season of cultivating yams, the community’s staple crop. The celebration involves appeasing and pacifying the gods for a successful season, along with performing individual and clan sacrifices for sanctification and protection.

The 2024 festival is scheduled for September 14, with an annual durbar of chiefs planned for the second week of September each year. Obore Yankosor expressed that the festival would be a time to reflect on the community’s journey towards development, unity, and peace, acknowledging areas that need improvement and strengths to be sustained. The celebration also symbolizes victory over famine, known locally as ‘likpaasil’.

A committee will be formed to prepare for the festival, as announced by the chief in his closing remarks. Mr. Henry Mbini, who chaired the launching event, spoke of the festival’s potential to attract development by inviting investors, politicians, NGOs, and others to join the celebrations. He emphasized the importance of yam farming in Tatale, urging farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices for increased production and to avoid indiscriminate bush burning that could damage crops during the dry season.

The event was attended by various chiefs, including Obore Kwawai Simon – Lakpale, Obore Kojo Magalo Sheini, Queen Mother of Tatale Yaa Mbola, Ali Jimba Bekanbanbi, Obore Poku Ngariba Bebubagbu Sogloo – Bore Kpante Batube, among others.

Adaklu-Kodzobi, November 21: The Adaklu-Kodzobi community in the Volta Region marked the 40th anniversary of their Bliza (Corn Festival) over the weekend. The theme for this year’s festival was ‘Forty Years Journey: Building the capacity of the youth through quality education for development,’ attracting hundreds of natives for a homecoming celebration.

According to Ghana News Agency, Chief of Adaklu-Kodzobi, the festival served as a platform to galvanize support for the socio-economic development of the farming community. He emphasized the role of chiefs in driving community development and welfare and expressed his commitment to these goals. Togbe Dzegblade called for local support to foster growth and advised the youth to actively contribute to development rather than solely relying on government projects.

He also advocated for collaboration among chiefs in the Volta Region to create employment opportunities for the youth. Madam Juliana Kpedekpo, Adaklu District Chief Executive, emphasized the collaborative nature of development and commended the community’s self-help initiatives. She highlighted the strategic impact of education on people’s lives and encouraged the youth to prioritize their education. Kpedekpo mentioned several government initiatives and programs aimed at youth development since 2017, urging young people to capitalize on these opportunities.

The festival, which began in 1983 as a small event to thank God for a bumper corn harvest, has grown into one of the largest in the Adaklu district, drawing participants from neighboring communities. The event also included a fundraising effort for the completion of the community’s information center project, raising over 40,000 Ghana Cedis.

Accra – Cameroonian singer, rapper, and songwriter Noami Achu has arrived in Ghana, kickstarting her anticipated musical tour and philanthropic initiatives across the country. Known as the ‘Queen of Bamenda’, Achu has been a significant figure in Cameroonian pop music, especially among the diaspora community.

According to Ghana News Agency, during her media interaction at Kotoka International Airport, her visit to Ghana is not just for musical performances but also for potential collaborations with local artists. Her recent album, ‘African Pepper’, has been one of this year’s top African music projects, achieving high streaming numbers. Achu expressed her admiration for Ghanaian music and its artists, including DBlack, Reggie Rockstone, and Bisa Kdei, and is eager to explore collaborative opportunities.

Achu emphasized the importance of unity in promoting African music on the international stage. She believes that collaborations among African artists are key to sustaining the global momentum of African music. During her stay in Ghana, Achu plans to shoot music videos for songs from her ‘African Pepper’ album and work on new projects with Ghanaian artists.

Beyond her musical endeavors, Achu is committed to philanthropy. She plans to visit some of Ghana’s deprived communities to offer support, aligning with her history of engaging in humanitarian efforts.

Noami Achu has established a significant presence in the music industry with several albums and extended plays, including ‘No Boundaries,’ ‘Positive Energy,’ and ‘Long Live the Queen.’ Her contributions to music were recognized in 2016 when she received the Best Female Artiste in Inspirational Music at the All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMMA) and the Next Generation Award for Best Female Artiste.

Accra – GH Schools, in collaboration with the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, has announced the launch of ‘December Fest 2023,’ a three-day event set to take place in Tema. This festival, scheduled from December 01 to December 03, 2023, at T-Havana, is designed to showcase and celebrate the rich culture, arts, and tourism potential of Tema.

According to Ghana News Agency, Director of Culture, Tourism, and Creative Arts at the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, the December Fest 2023 aims to promote the local culture and bring the stories of Tema’s people to life. The event includes various activities like a float through the metropolitan area, a traditional durbar of chiefs, a craft and food fair, a family fun day, and musical concerts.

Ms. Boison expressed the ambition to transform Tema into a tourism hub by highlighting the area’s unique culture and heritage through the fest. “We aim to create a sense of pride and enthusiasm among our people this December through this fest,” she said, emphasizing the event’s potential to foster community spirit.

Additionally, Ms. Boison stated that the organizers hope to significantly impact the arts and tourism sector in Tema, contributing to the economic revenue of the area.

Mr. Leslie Addo Listowel, Rector of GH Schools, explained the choice of Tema for the fest, citing the area’s unique position as the center of the world. He noted that Tema offers much to Ghana’s growing tourism and arts industry beyond its industrial facade.

“In all this, we want to showcase Tema to the world to attract interest from people far and near to the area and Ghana as a whole,” he added, highlighting the event’s aim to put Tema on the global map for tourism and cultural attraction.