Jefferson Sackey

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Sherry Ayittey and Ghanaian international Journalist with the Multimedia Group, Jefferson Sackey are among this year’s recipients of an Honorary Doctorate Degree Awards from the Dayspring Christian University in Mississipi, USA.

Samia Nkrumah, Daughter of Ghana’s first president and NADMO boss, Kofi Portuphy will also be honored for their exemplary roles in national development in their various fields.

A special convocation will be held at the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences of the University of Ghana this Saturday to confer the awards on twelve other personalities including the Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Abraham Koomson and TUC boss Kofi Asamoah.

Past recipients of the Honorary Doctorate Award from the US University are Ghana’s Speaker of parliament, Right Hon. Dr. Doe Adjaho and Coach of Ghana’s national football team, Dr. Kwesi Appiah.

NBCUniversal and Multichoice continue to pull out all the stops by showcasing the best telenovelas on the small screen

For a year, Telemundo Africa on GOtv channel 13 has been gripping GOtv subscribers across the continent with its offering of high quality, first-run telenovelas featuring dramatic storylines, glamorous cast and exotic locations.

To mark the milestone, Telemundo launched a brand new telenovela titled Broken Angel, which features real life sweethearts and Telemundo favourites Carlos Ponce and Ximena Duque along with Gaby Espino and Aaron Diaz.

Broken Angel which is a 136 episodes, follows the story of a woman on a quest seeking revenge for the murder of her husband, as she falls in love with her accomplice.

Telemundo launched last year with four telenovelas, namely: Aurora, My Heart Beats for Lola (which became Telemundo’s most popular telenovela locally), Behind Closed Doors and Precious Rose. This year, Telemundo brought viewers more top rating telenovelas from the US including Labour of Love, The Queen of the South and Someone’s Watching.

Since the channel’s launch, a number of high profile Telemundo talent from as far afield as Mexico, Columbia and the US visited the African content including Angelica Celaya, AylinMujica, Catherine Siachoque, Rafael Amaya, David Chocarro, Jorge Luis Pila, Ana Layevska, Fabian Rios, Ximena Duque and Carlos Ponce.

Undoubtedly fans across Africa will continue to feel Telemundo’s passion for many months to come with great new telenovelas playing out on the small screen at the moment, like the gripping thriller Someone’sWatching, the eerie love story of Elena’s Ghost and the tale of two empowered female bodyguards in Fearless Heart. The last premiere of 2014 will be Where Is Elisa that launches in October.

Naa Ashorkor and Sydney Hushie

Young, beautiful and sassy actress cum TV host, Naa Ashokor, will host this year’s British Council’s Young Creative Entrepreneur (YCE) Fashion and Design Award with Sydney Hushie on Friday, August 29, 2014.

Naa Ashorkor, favourite TV face for many, is a second of three girls who hails from Teshie Tsui Bleoo. For a lady who holds her own, she exudes beauty with brains and is a strong believer of educating and empowering women so they are confidence and competent in taking control of their lives.

Sydney the host of last year’s Cambridge International Awards, works with the British Council. His talents in events hosting inspires him to take the stage and drive programs home with style. Together, the two talents will lit the stage as they steer the Awards Night home.

The British Council’s Young Creative Entrepreneur (YCE) Fashion and Design Award will honor one winner out of the five finalists. The YCE Fashion and Design 2014 Award winner will participate in a shared tour of the UK’s fashion and design sector which runs from 13^th – 19^th  September 2014 in London.

Join the British Council Ghana celebrate talented Ghanaians later this evening (18:00 – 20:00pm), Friday August 29, 2014 at the British Council Hall near the National Theatre.  See you there!!

The Interim Board of the Ghana Music Right Organization (GHAMRO) has released a statement spelling out strategies it intends to use in ensuring transparency with the affairs of the organization.

The statement, read by a member of the Interim Board and music publisher, Enock Agyepong, during the first press conference of GHAMRO on August 28, 2014 at Oak Plaza, said as part of building transparency, the board will publish its financial Statements monthly in dailies at the Office Notice board and also a copy sent to AG. The board will also hold Stakeholders meeting in October.

“There is going to be an Open Door Policy. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Linkedin and YouTube have been created for questions and suggestions and interactions”, he added.

Under the theme, “Current State of GHAMRO And The Way Forward”, the first Press Conference was organized, according to the board, to lay bare the current state of affairs of GHAMRO, what has been done since assuming the office and the way forward.

The interim Public Relations Officer, Kwame Nsiah Apau, also talked about the current state of GHAMRO’s account. He revealed that since their appointment as Receiver Managers, they have been able to receive an amount of twenty five thousand Ghana Cedis and saved in a Guaranty Trust Bank account.

The conference was also attended by veteran musicians like Nana Ampadu, Kojo Antwi, Ekaw Micah, Randy Nono, Akosua Agyapong, Ben Brako and others.

Nana Akufo-Addo

By GhanaGist.Com

The opposite New Patriotic Party (NPP) is set to go on Special Delegate Congress across the country on Sunday August 31, 2014.

The NPP will be voting in the special election to reduce the seven persons contesting for the party’s flagbearership position.

There has been several endorsements, the latest to join are movie director Socrate Kwabena Safo and music producer Mark Okraku Mantey of Creative Arts for Change (CAfC) have endorsed two-time former flagbearer of the party, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo.

CAfC is a collection of creative arts professionals who seek to lobby institutions – state, private, social or political – for the interest of our industry.

Read their statement below available to GhanaGist.Com and copied to the Delegates of the Special Electoral College, the Chairman, Paul Afoko, all Regional Chairmen and the media.

To Delegates of the NPP Special Electoral College.
C/o The Chairman, Paul Afoko
Cc: All Regional Chairmen
Media

Dear Delegates of the NPP Special Electoral College,

We humbly write to you honourable members of the upcoming Special Electoral College of your party, the New Patriotic Party, regarding our support for one of the contestants Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo. It is our prayer to you to consider our lobby for him.

Creative Arts for Change, CAfC, is a collection of creative arts professionals who seek to lobby institutions – state, private, social or political – for the interest of our industry.

We were formed in 2012, having taken notice of the fact that if we did not actively take up our responsibility regarding the choices we make for our industry we would continue not to be taken seriously beyond what people perceive us to be – entertainers. After deliberation and consideration of our interests, and having weighed the candidates out there, we publicly and openly endorsed Nana Akufo-Addo, and by extension the NPP. We are however not partisan or pro-NPP.

We have a support base of over 500 sympathizers within the industry. This was proven by the numbers who joined us to visit Nana Akufo-Addo in his house at Nima to endorse him officially. This was further proven in the showing in Kumasi at the Cultural Center in 2012 of these sympathizers we mobilized to hear Nana Akufo-Addo present his policy and vision for the development of the creative arts industry, a notable first in our political history as far as we know.

Our supporters/sympathizers in turn can be argued to represent thousands of other industry professionals and associates such as our agents in distribution, marketing and sales of our products. We also access the general Ghanaian public through film, theater, music and all other aspects of our industry.

We, again, after further consideration over the period, endorse Nana Akufo-Addo for the 2016 election.

We take note of the fact that we are not card bearing members of your organization and therefore have no direct influence on your decisions. At best we can only lobby you for support and endorsement of Nana Akufo-Addo in the process of your primaries, specifically your Special Electoral College of this Sunday August 31st, 2014. We still believe that Nana Akufo-Addo is our best bet for the development of our industry by all indications.

We have looked again at our interests, considered the depth of his understanding of those interests and taken cognizance of what the Ghanaian public has been saying publicly and privately. We believe he is the candidate we will work for to win the next general election. We therefore, humbly, urge you to endorse the candidacy of Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo at the Special Electoral College.

We wish you well.

On behalf of the members and sympathizers of CAfC

Mark Okraku Mantey
Socrate Safo

Welcome to this week’s Piece of Peace. Today I would like to share with you on the topic: STICKS AND STONES

There is a basic fundamental need we all have as humans to belong to a social group and to be accepted by other people. This fundamental need means we consistently crave the comfort that our social circle brings. It means that, as we grow up, our friendship circles become more and more imbedded in our lives. They help shape our moral fabric, they determine to an extent the levels of happiness we exercise and they shape our opinions on how well or not we are doing in life. Our need to belong and to feel accepted forms the cornerstone of the level of success we feel we have attained.

For example, for most people, success does not really mean a lot to us, unless society validates our efforts. Thus if everyone can see and acknowledge that the new sports car that you have purchased is impressive, then we are more likely to be excited about our success. This validation need we have means that, we are consistently bombarded with differing thoughts on how we should live our lives. People are temperamental. They are unpredictable. Today you may be the best thing they have ever seen, but tomorrow those same people will treat you like a plague.

You simply cannot rely on public opinion to validate the progress you are making in life. It is the surest way to fail. There was once a time that Michael Jackson was hailed by everyone as the greatest and most amazing talent ever seen. Those same people called him a pedophile and mentally unstable at a later stage. The validation we want can only come from within.

Every one of us is on a unique path to greatness and it means that no two journeys will ever be the same. Sometimes when your journey seems to be bearing more fruit for you than others, the envy and the jealousy means that people will move from support mode to attack mode and if you are someone who is heavily reliant on the opinions of people for validation, you will begin to undo all the blessings that God has given you thus far. When you get to a stage where everyone seems to want to be your friend, know that it is the first warning sign that you are doing something wrong. Success has no friends. Not real ones anyway. It brings with it a lot of fake people who want to share the limelight of God’s blessings in your life.

It is important not to let the comments of negative people weigh you down. It takes a lot more effort responding to negativity than it does to ignore them. People who disregard the way you feel and try to bring you down do not need any extra attention. Some things are simply not worth the fight. There comes a time when the much sort after love that we crave from people will no longer be available.  What will happen then? Focus your energy on positive self-development and always being a blessing to every person around you. The only person’s opinion you can trust is that calm assuring voice from within. Some call it instinct. I like to think it is the presence of God directing us on a path that is just perfect for us. Learn to trust that voice and block out the negative comments from people.

Remember be yourself, everyone else is taken.

Much love,

Peace Hyde.

Television Awards Ghana launch

The growth of Television stations in this country has risen tremendously especially with the introduction of digital TV sets and digi-box in the country.

Research shows that there are more digital TV stations than the analogue ones and that also translates into the quick rise in digital TV sets as compared to the analogue ones now in the country.

Also very soon TV stations will migrate unto the T2 platform, a plat form according to experts will add exceptional TV experience to viewers. Experts also said that the new T2 platform will allow viewers to track programming, time and schedules of a TV station.

This then means that very soon the people in the villages will have to buy a digital TV to enjoy these new services the stations are about to migrate to.

With this interesting growth in both TV sets and TV stations in the country; do we (viewers) get the best of services in terms of programs from these stations and who is checking to make sure that a TV station provides the best of service to its viewers?

Could it be that because of the rapid growth of TV stations and programs a lot of institutions are taking the advantage to introduce series of awards into the system?

Another question on the minds of people is the credibility and sustainability of these awards in the industry. Are these awards inspiring the TV stations to provide the best or they are just adding up to the numbers.

Recently we heard of the launch of a new awards scheme called ‘Television Awards Ghana’. The scheme was launched at the Alisa Hotel with the aim of promoting the core values in television broadcasting.

The big question is how credible this scheme is; looking at past experiences from other similar awards schemes.

Television Awards Ghana is championed by Showtime production who doubles as a production company with three TV shows on TV3, therefore the credibility of the show is at stake. We are just asking, what if they give all the popular awards to their TV shows with the lie that they had the highest votes.

Another questionable thing about this new award scheme is the clarity and transparent of activities; we have never heard anything from the board of trustee, faculty and organizers; as to whether the trustee or faculty is working we can’t tell because we have never heard anything like that and as to whether these boards will not be a nine day wonder just as the rest we yet to see.

We know the award was launched but we don’t know the board of Trustees or the faculty. Who are the personas forming these board and how credible are they. What are their contributions to the Television industry and how transparent will they act in delivering their services as board of trustee or faculty.

One thing we lack in Ghana is a system that checks the credibility of things that revolve around us and also we lack the spirit of holding people accountable for what they promise to do. We often know the two weeks syndrome in the country where stake holders will argue and share opinions on an issue but will not push to see the end results from the said topic and not to even or people have been held responsible.

We think that the people behind the Television Awards Ghana should be called to answer a few questions; as to who and who form the board, how they meet, if possible hear from some of the board of trustee to question them on their roles.

The emotions of viewers of various shows to be submitted for nominations should not be toiled with especially when they have to vote for their favorite to win in the most popular category.

Seriously, let us ask, have these people open for nominations and if they did how come we did not hear anything about it. If they have not, then we need to know so we can follow suit.

The television awards we are sure is to reward hard working deserving programs and so forth but for the sake of transparency we want to hear more from the organizers.

 Submitted

Jonathan Eze Nwadinobi

By GhanaGist.Com

Blame here, blame there! Ghana-based Nigerian musician, Eze, has schooled MUSIGA president, Bice Osei Kufour (Obour), on how to deal with the body’s many problems.

In an interview at his Dansoman studio in Accra, the organizer of the Loud in Accra concert sought to question the organizational acumen of the body’s structure, insisting they’ve done little to help the average musician.

“They are not doing well”, he said when asked to speak briefly on the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) and Ghana Music Rights Organisation of Ghana (GHAMRO).

“I’m blaming it on the structure of the industry so far. They are not doing so well. The way I expected MUSIGA and GHAMRO to play their role, they are rather deviating from the points.”

Eze adds: “If I’m supposed to be given that opportunity, which of course I will not adhere to it because of criticisms and so on, I would rather play a backyard role like the way I started from the music and promotion.”

According to him, Ghana is gifted with music talents but the industry has failed to indentify and take advantage of it. This, he said should be blamed on the fact that, the appropriate authorities have failed to tackle the basic problems in the industry.

“Ghana is blessed with music and we refuse to identify that… if you go to Nigeria or other developed country to be able to decide who leads in a year its being measured by the number of CDs you sold, even in the States, even in UK, everywhere.”

Eze said one of the many problems in the industry is the cost of CDs. “How many CDs you sell this year, it’s not how many times your song is played on air. Now the CDs are very expensive for people to afford.”

According to him, even though the target market for CDs are mostly students, they are not able to afford even a Sarkodie and Kojo Antwi CD because they are sold over 10ghc, which he finds very expensive.

“That is the problem we are having. That’s the first problem. I see that they are neglecting that are,” he noted.

He continued, “That is the first problem I expect MUSIGA to handle. I have said it many times to Obour and his conglomerate but I think they feel it’s too primary which is the foundation of the beginning of success in music industry in Ghana.”

On the Ghana Music Right Organisation (GHAMRO), Eze said, “I feel GHAMRO is too small to stand on its own. I see it as a branch of … a subsidiary of MUSIGA. But I see now that, even MUSIGA is trying to sue them. Which means … these two people are different, is not supposed to be like that.”

Eze bemoaned the lack of appropriate Commissions in the MUSIGA set up to regulate affairs of musicians, calling for different Commissions.

One of such he is pushing for, is a Screening Committee that will look into the artistic life, behavior and standardization of the musicians in Ghana.

“Anybody gets up [and says] I’m a musician. Even a carpenter can say I’m a musician. Is that how the musicianship goes about [in Ghana]?”he asked.

Enjoy the rest of the interview

Disc Jockey and Queen of the decks, DJ Cuppy, shares her recent journey in Lagos and build up to the successful Lagos launch of her recently released compilation mix, House Of Cuppy.

Cuppy On A Mission: Lagos Diaries comes in 3 parts and in each part Cuppy gives details of what her general day in Lagos is like. From the House of Cuppy promo to Djing at events and private parties. Each part gives Cuppy fans an insight to the talent and brand known as Cuppy.

In part 1, Cuppy shared her first day back in Lagos, for her House Of Cuppy promo, as she Dj’d at the reopening of Club Quilox to meeting artiste Iceprince were we found out she is working on a project with him, we cant wait to find out what they have cooking in the studio.

Part 2 shows the 21 year old Dj as she takes us on her Radio and TV network trips as well as her press conference.

Press play, enjoy and get to know Dj Cuppy.

Cuppy On A Mission: Lagos Diaries part 2

Eazzy drops video for her single “Emergency” featuring Stonebwoy.

It was directed by Nana Kofi Asihene of NKACC.

President John Mahama has agreed to a request from the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, for the use of Ghana as the logistics base for the international fight against Ebola in West Africa.

This follows a Friday evening telephone conversation between President Mahama and Mr. Ban Ki-moon. The UN and other International Organisations will therefore use Accra as a Centre for airlifting supplies and personnel to the most affected countries – Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Following the outbreak of the Ebola virus, most of the regular commercial flights into the affected areas have been suspended, making it difficult for equipment, logistics and personnel to reach the affected nations.

Using Accra as the Logistics and Coordination Centre would therefore open a vital corridor to get urgently-needed supplies and health personnel into the affected countries and areas. The United Nations and Ghana will work closely to put in place appropriate screening and prevention measures to avoid any adverse effects on Ghana as a result of the operations of the Logistics Centre.

The UN has also offered to assist Ghana in reviewing and strengthening the country’s Ebola preparedness, as steps are taken to prevent the virus from entering the country.

Miss Ghana 2013, Nadia Ntanu, is leaving Ghana today for the finals of the Miss Togo pageant.

Ntanu is attending the event at the special invitation of the organizers, who have a long-standing relationship with Exclusive Events Ghana, organizers of the Miss Ghana, and Mr Ghana events.

She is joined on the trip by a select team from Exclusive Events staff.

They will be in Togo for a week, and will attend some side events.

Nadia will return to continue preparations for her Miss World trip in November.

Asem drops “AintGonLie” produced by MikeMillz. He touches on the state of the economy and trending issues including Mike Brown, Bring Back Our Girls and more…

Check it out!!!

Startups Radio is a program dedicated to the startup community in Ghana to Highlight, Discuss and Share Best Practices of Starting a Business and issues affecting Businesses, Maintaining Growth and Scaling up, while highlighting Ghanaian Entrepreneurs both old and new as well as events around Startups in Ghana. The program is designed to be an online/on-air Business advisory Support Program for businesses and Startups.

Interviews will revolve around a Chosen Startup, a Regulator, policy maker or an industry expert/young entrepreneurs. Essentially, We are bringing #BusinessAdvisoryServices to Radio, On-Air,Online with Startups in Mind!

We encourage all Youth and Businesses in Ghana to Tune in to the program STARTUPS- starting from the 3rd of September and every Wednesday morning from 9:00am – 9:30 am on the Live 91.9 FM Breakfast Club-Morning Show with your Host and Award Winning Entrepreneur and Consultant – JOHN ARMAH.

This program is brought to you by the Ghana Center for Entrepreneurship, Employment and Innovation and Live 91.9 FM. #TuneIn #GetReady. #Retweet #Share #Let’s InformOthers

Submitted 

To kick off the 2014/2015 Soccer season on SuperSport, the channel in collaboration with Multichoice Ghana organized a fun sports media event at Lizzy Complex in Accra.

The season marks the beginning of the live broadcast of all the major leagues such all 380 2014/15 English Premier League fixtures, the German Bundesliga, La Liga, SerieA, UEFA, the FA Cup, the African Cup of Nations and the Ghana Premiere League, to name a few.

The event saw seven media house teams, made up 6 players in a team, playing two halves of 10 minutes at a fast and exciting pace. The media houses were DStv, GOtv, Happy FM, Hot FM, Kotoko Express, Radio Univers and the Republic Newspaper.

Happy FM, known for their fierce love of football off and on the airwaves, emerged the winners whilst Radio Univers and Kotoko Express came in second and third. They all took home a trophy and medallions to mark their win as well as Supersport souvenirs.

Supersport offers in-depth coverage of local and international cricket, soccer, rugby, tennis, golf, motorsport, athletics, boxing, mountaineering and cycling on the DStv platform which presents world-class entertainment in line with the best digital pay television platforms worldwide.

In an ever changing world of increasing needs and economic recession, it no longer seems enough to have ‘a job’. In fact, the very saying of ‘get a job’ seems to be fading away as it gradually gives way to that of ‘get a life’, which must definitely include a line of businesses if not two or three jobs for an individual.

One set of people in society who seems to understand these newly required principles for ruling the world are celebrities, most of whom have chosen other lines of business aside from what they are celebrated for.

It is thus no longer news, if a celebrity opens a new line of business as they all seem to be rapidly registering their names in the annals of entrepreneurs. However, they must be commended for their efforts considering the pressures of juggling economic responsibilities together with entertaining the world so to speak.

In Ghana a few “determined and focused” celebrities seem to have resolved despite all the media attention to leave a legacy behind with the understanding that having one profession is never enough, more especially if you want to impact the lives of others.

This piece looks at five celebrities in Ghana who are hell bent on creating opportunity, business and becoming expert professionals in the various professions they have chosen.

Sonnie Badu

The International Multiple Award Winning Gospel Singer, Sonnie Agyemang Badu, is first on the list. The second born of four children was born on November 2 to Mr and Mrs Badu, who he describes as strict Christian parents.

According to Sonnie, the discipline of both parents is what has established his long passion of service to the Lord. At age 18 at Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS), Sonnie was struck by a serious illness that almost claimed his life. It was at that time he resolved to win souls for the Lord if He would heal him.

The “Worshipper” got well and his love for God and winning souls for the kingdom heightened since that encounter.

After GSTS, Sonnie moved to London to pursue his promise to God; which is to serve God all the days of his life. This love was to be exhibited through music, so he schooled in music at Lewisham College.

Little did he know that Lewisham College would pave a way for his music career some years on. After releasing his first album “Lost In His Glory” in December 2007, Minister Sonnie Badu has since chalked up many successes for himself aside from performing with other international artistes like Juanita Bynum, Lionel Peterson, Alvin Slaughter, Donnie McClurkin,  Noel Robinson, Muyiwa, Sammy Okposu, Mike Aremu,RonKenoly, Bebe and CeceWinans.

Professionally, the “General” as he has come to be known is the CEO of a range of businesses both in Ghana and the United Kingdom. Of all the tall list of businesses, Sonnie set up his K and O Estate Agency that is responsible for selling houses. He is also responsible for the Sonnie Badu Ministries (SBM), a Christian ministry with focus on winning souls for the Kingdom.

The “General” is the brain behind the SB.UK (inspired by you) clothing line that consists of shoes, royal empire, gold and silver crest cufflinks, pen, logo-polos, Jesus boy/girl shirts, logo-jumpers, logo-vests, and the royal empire crest shirts. As though these two are easy to maintain, Sonnie came up with the Sonnie Badu homes, which is a real estate home building homes for Ghanaians.  According to Sonnie studying building construction in GSTS increased the passion of creating homes for people.

Sonnie is also a private Jet consultant for the mainly airline operators who seek his services in the United Kingdom. Having loved football right from childhood and nursing the ambition to pursue it further was a dream Sonnie cherished while growing up. So even when he could not turn out as a footballer, he has established the Eagle Eye Football Agency that has so far worked with few footballers. Not only does he oversee these companies, he also makes time to write and so far has nine amazing books that are listed among the New York Times bestselling books. Now what an achievement!

Sonnie discloses in an interview that he believes that “as a minister God it gives you the brain and empowers you to create wealth”When asked by this reporter if he had to take up some university course papers to manage all these businesses; his response “I did not go to the University for special tuition; all I have is by grace and favour from God”. To help broaden his ministry Sonnie founded the worship radio, an online radio station and the I magazine, which are both tools for promoting his ministry, philanthropic activities and perhaps a reason for the name the “Worshipper”.

As though he never gets tired of creating businesses and employment opportunities, Sonnie recently opened the Dizney Day Care Centre in London to cater for toddlers and children from five years and below. According to Sonnie, his love for children made him   invest in a day care centre.

“I have great passion for children; they are our future leaders, so I believe giving them a great foundation is a good fundamental for their future and also nursery in London is big business”, he further explained. Now if this is not wealth creation, favour from God and cashing in on the right opportunity, how would you further describe this?

For the “Worshipper”, being a Ghanaian living in the United Kingdom and excelling is just the favour of God. Moreso  “being a gospel musician does not mean you have to be poor, but you actually stand the place and chance of receiving ideas to help change your generation”.

Well so there you have it, but if you have thought of how he juggles all these businesses and his core profession-, music, Sonnie says “I make time, it’s therapeutic for me and also because I am a multi- tasking person and I love what I do. That’s some lesson to take home for all.

John Dumelo

Second on my list is handsome actor, Matthew John Setor Dumelo, known as the media friendly actor in Ghana and also the ladies’ man. Not yet married though, this man has enjoyed negative publicity from the media, especially dating, cheating and gay rumours, but he never seems perturbed about it.

For John, he is determined to create wealth, businesses, employment opportunities and he believes “ my career as a renowned actor would pass at a point, so now I am cashing in on the opportunity it brings.” How interesting of Mr John Dumelo.

The ever smiling and approachable John was born on February3, 1984 to Mr John Dumelo and Mrs Antionette Dumelo. He is the last and only boy of three children. John had his primary education at Christ the King International School in Accra, Ghana, where he was selected by GAMA Film Company to play the role as a pupil in the movie “Baby Thief”. He had his secondary education at Achimota School and further studied at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where he read Civil Engineering.

He runs his own real estate company that is into construction and building. His company put together his hotelin airport city known as MASELO court. He is also a fashion designer and the manufacturer for with the Jmelo hair label and brand respectively. The down to earth actor, who recently got vilified by Facebook and hit 1,000 likes on the same site, is known to be the brain behind some renowned real estates in Ghana.For a fact, he is the brain behind co-actor Yvonne Nelson’s house that is being built.

John Dumelois also into music and has his music studio known as the Jmelo studio with musicians like  Creal being beneficiaries. He was recently rumoured to have put a song together with BET award winner Sarkodie. John tells this reporter “I love to create wealth and I aspire to own a chain of businesses. My greatest aspiration is to own my own airline.”

John Dumelo has also written his name in the humanitarian books due to his kind gesture. He loves to give and support the needy. Apart from Ghana, West African countries such as Liberia, Gambia, Nigeria and Dr Congo have benefited from his humanitarian gestures. He admonishes his fellow actors to also give back to society. “The reason why we are blessed with what we have is to help the poor and needy in society”, John explains.

The humble and pretty face actor, who partners an IT firm, advises that “you know some people can get carried away when fame and fortune knocks on their door, making them lose focus of who they are and where they are coming from. I want to work hard to avoid that.”

The modest actor cum entrepreneur dreams of becoming the first gentleman of the land one day.That is a big dream, if you ask me, but perhaps it could come true since all the greateast clue to become a President of Ghana fall on him; his name John makes it possible, if almost all Ghana’s past presidents had the name John.

Dream on John Dumelo! Dreams certainly come true.

Naa Ashorkor

Pretty, elegant and intelligence is what defines the third celebrity on this list. A budding Journalist, presenter turned actress, Naa Ashorkor is a second child of four girls and hails from Teshie in the Greater Accra Region. Naa was born on November 24 1988 to Mr Paul Mensah-Doku and Sarah Mensah-Doku. She attended the Daras School from nursery to JSS and continued at the Benkum Secondary School at LartehAkropong.

Nisirine NaaAshorkor Mensah-Doku went into presenting when she was invited on several occasions as a guest on a Youth programmedubbed “New Generation”, on TV Africa. She later presented “Day Break Entertainment”, She went to host “Day Break” and became a co-host to Okyeame Quophi on TV Africa’s variety show “Sounds Splash!” While with sound splash, she got featured in her first movie role in “Scorned” by Shirley Frimpong Manso and as they say the rest is history.

Though she has not enjoyed a lot of negative press, she has no doubt worked hard on becoming a celebrity with a profession. Naa, as she is affectionately called by many, still pursued her journalism profession. She made a move from TV Africa to GHONE where she presented and produced several shows including “Guess who is coming for dinner”, Miss Malaika Beauty pageant and then to her own show “Tales from the powder room”.

While juggling between celebrity status and her professional career, Naa enrolled in the University of Ghana, read Law after which she further made a move to the new Accra based radio station Starr FM as a presenter.  In her own words “It is not easy but it can be done” and Indeed this is evident in how far she has come with the love for her profession growing each day and enjoying celebrity status. You always meet Naa greeting you with a smile. She loves acting but is not yet ready to part with Journalism. Keep on keeping on girl. More mountains to reach!

Kwabena Kwabena

The “Asor” man who started off as a draftsman cum architect accidentally got introduced to the music industry through a friend, “Kontihene”. He immediately became an instant hit with his first song “Asor”. The media loves him and the ladies do what they know best-drooling all over him.

His negative publicity started off when he got married and there were hitches of divorce rumours. It nearly crashed him, but he made the best out of it and came out stronger than before.

George Kwabena Adu also known as Kwabena Kwabena was born in Accra on 17th October 1978.

He attended Datus Complex at Bubuashie and continued at Green Hill School and Aggrey Junior Secondary School for his basic education. He later attended and completed St Peters secondary school at Nkwatia Kwahu in the Eastern Region some years back.

He was in Accra Polytechnic for his tertiary education while he was still doing his music thing. Anyway, he is willing to go back to school.Being a draftsman by profession and combining it with his music is his big privilege, he said.

Kweku Elliott

Young actor cum graphic designer, Kweku Elliott is the last of the five celebrities who are excelling in their professions. With several years of schooling in the United Kingdom, he graduated as a professional graphic designer who is eager to coming up with advertising concepts. His decision to become an actor was through encouragement and support from friends, family and cousins after his return from London to Ghana in 2006. After he nailed the Vodafone TV commercial “The Chase”, he realized there is no turning back; especially when people told him he is cut for acting. For someone who used to be a model and could have made his name and built his brand easily with is 6.4 height, he decided to pick up acting after he landed his first movie role in “Single & Married” as Raymond.

Known and called by many as Kay, he was born in Takoradi in the Western Region. He later moved with the family to Tema in the Greater Accra Region at age 6. He and his sister, Essie, attended SOS Herman Gmeiner International School where his mother, Henrietta, was a teacher. His father Kojo Elliott was a lawyer, who passed away when Elliott was only six.

From SOS, he attended Akosombo International School for his Junior Secondary School and later went to Mfantisipim School and then moved to the UK where he attended the Arts Institute of Bournemouth to pursue a degree course in graphic design.

In two years of acting with seven movies to his credit, Kay still owns and manages his business, Media-k Solutions, a desktop publishing company that is responsible for several concepts of adverts running on both TV and Radio. When not on set, he is in his office located at Roman Ridge, developing concepts.

“I have a big plan for my profession and acting” is his answer to how long he aspires to be in the movie Industry. For Kay, he has a lot to offer and he is looking at using graphic designing and acting to come out with something big, especially when he aims at getting to Hollywood with his career.

This ends the list of the top five celebrities in Ghana excelling in different professions, but their life stories teaches all to aspire and aim high. They achieved all with God, education and pursuing their talents and passion. Pursue what you love to do and it may take you to the highest office on the land. Desire to create the change you want to see and be the best at it.

Submitted by Esther Eyra Doe

Martha Bissah, the athlete who won Ghana’s first Olympic Gold medal in the 800m race at the Youth Olympics Championship in China has been honoured by President John Mahama.

She won Gold with a time of 2:04:90, a new national junior record.

Before honouring her, President Mahama told the 17-year-old athlete at the seat of government – the Flagstaff House, “I will ask the Olympic Committee to pay special attention to you and give you every opportunity to develop this talent for the interest of the nation, we should create a system where we are able to catch these talents very young and groom them and train them to become some of the super athletes that we wish they become in the future.”

An elated Bissah said, she feels “very proud, the game was very tough, but I was able to conquer them. I will say glory be to God and all Ghana Athletics Association members.”

Watch her in the video and the pictures of the honouring

According to reports, Big Brother Africa (Hot Shot) houses have been burnt to the ground.

The houses which were supposed to house contestants for the 91-day reality show, went up in flames Tuesday afternoon around 3pm.

Organisers of the reality show, Endemol have consequently postponed indefinitely, the launch of this year’s event which was scheduled for Sunday, September 7.

It is unclear what might have caused the fire.

UPDATE:

M-Net and Endemol SA advise that due to a devastating fire at the Big Brother house on 2 September 2014, Big Brother Hotshots will not launch this Sunday (7 September) as scheduled.

The cause of the fire, at this stage, is unknown and investigations will commence as soon as it is safe to do so.

At this stage M-Net and Endemol are urgently looking for an alternative Big Brother house in which to film the production, however as this production has highly technical infrastructure, camera and edit requirements an alternative is not immediately available. Every effort will be made to find a solution as quickly as possible to ensure that Africa’s biggest reality show will continue.

Where is the BBA house?
It is based at the Sasani Studios in Johannesburg

Was anyone injured in the fire?
No one was injured during the fire.

Martha Ankomah

Actress Martha Ankomah has been made face of Vita Milk’s new product, Viora, officials have said.

The announcement comes on the back of her shooting of the commercial for the product earlier this year in Thailand.

Viora, a new, strawberry and soya-based milk that offers a uniquely refreshing feel, will be launched onto the Ghanaian market soon, and Martha is expected to lead several promotional efforts planned for the outdooring.

One of Ghana’s most respected actors, the decision to settle on her was informed by her alluring personality, which has over the years seen her become a role model for many young people.

Becoming the face of Viora goes to further enhance her public image and that of the brand.

A young, successful known face, she is to many, one of few Ghanaian actresses with an enviable acting career that is admirable across several titles.

Viora will be launch in the coming weeks, in an event expected to draw some of the finest celebrity heads in Ghana, as well as the corporate community.

Watch the Vita Viora ad

After weeks of excitement, the finalists of the annual Citi FM Write-Away Contest will be unveiled and honored at a grand event on Saturday September 5 at the plush Coconut Grove Regency Hotel, Accra.

Thousands of school children aged between ten (10) and fourteen (14) years submitted entries for the year’s contest. The entries were their own short stories, with their own unique characters, which ended with the idiom a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

Twenty (20) entries were selected after which an interview session with the examiners was conducted to select the top ten (10) winners, from which the overall winner will be announced on Saturday.

The Write-Away Contest is Ghana’s number literary competition for amateur writers. Over the years, enterprising young writers have thrilled audiences with their well research and written entries, and have been awarded accordingly.

This year’s winner takes home five thousand (5000) cedis, the first runner-up  and the third runner-up will each receive three thousand (3000) and one thousand (1000) cedis respectively. There will also be special awards for deserving writers.

The Write-Away Contest is sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank and Indomie Instant Noodles. The contest is supported by Finlite and the Volta River Authority (VRA) and powered by 97.3 Citi FM.