VVIP to Thrill Patrons at YFM’s Annual Loud in GH Concert

VVIP

Veteran hiplife trio VVIP will perform alongside a host of other artistes at this year’s edition of YFM’s Loud in GH.


This year, the annual event, which has been considered as the official Christmas party in Ghana is slated for December 17 at the Labadi Beach, Accra dubbed the ‘Beach Mashup’.


According to organizers, VVIP has confirmed to put up a show stopping performance for music lovers from all walks of life that will flood the venue on Saturday, December 17.


The group, made up of Zeal, Reggie Rockstone and Prodigal, are known for their various award winning hits like ‘Alhaji’, ‘Dogo Yaro’, ‘Skolom’ and ‘Selfie’ among others. They have vowed to treat patrons of the event with all of their hits back to back on the said day.


Commenting on the event, Ms Naa, General Manager of YFM, said, “YFM is all about entertainment, innovation and turning it up with the best parties. Due to the great feedback we got from our listeners and the public after last year’s event, we have decided to once again move ‘Loud in GH’ to the beach, prolonging the fun to last throughout the day and giving our patrons a truly memorable experience”.


Other great musicians like Trigmatic, Guru, Mr. Eazi, Medikal, Epixode, Joey B and Mz Vee  among others are all fired up to perform at the much anticipated show.


However, there will also be great music from YFM’s best DJ’s from Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi as well as other interesting activities to give a great kick-start to the Christmas celebrations.

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Gbese Mantse Takes Cover at Nana Addo's Meeting With Ga Chiefs

Gbese Mantse Nii Ayi Bonte II (arrowed) hiding from the cameras yesterday

The man who touts himself as the chief of Gbese, Nii Ayi Bonte II, yesterday suffered an embarrassing fate when president-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, called on the Ga Traditional Council at Dodowa.


Nana Akufo-Addo had gone there to thank the chiefs and the queen mothers for their support during the 2016 electioneering campaign – which saw him elected as president.


He went there in the company of his wife, Rebecca and party kingpins, including Acting General Secretary, John Boadu; Regional Chairman, Ishmael Ashitey; Professor Mike Oquaye; Stanley Adjiri Blankson; Ayikoi Otoo; Laud Commey; Nii Ayittey Boafo and some of the NPP’s elected Members of Parliament in the region as well as those who failed in their parliamentary bids.


A few days to the December 7 elections, an emotionally charged Nii Ayi Bonte II – famously known as Tommy Okai – was seen at a public function largely attended by members of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), vowing to destool himself if the NPP’s candidate (now president-elect), was voted as the president of Ghana after 7th December, and subsequently sworn in on 7 January, 2017.


Nii Ayi Bonte claimed that (outgoing) President Mahama and the NDC government had done more than enough in terms of projects hence, was sure they would win the elections and decided to put his stool [even though not the rightful occupant] on line.


Interestingly, the man has since gone silent after Akufo-Addo was declared winner of the election, as many people, including his own people in Gbese, have begun to call for his head.


Luck eluded him when Akufo-Addo (now the president-elect) and members of his team entered the hall where the meeting with the Ga Traditional Council was to take place.


Minutes after they had arrived at the place, Tommy Okai, former chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak Football Club, started taking cover, hiding his face.


He had gone to sit far behind the crowd where he could not be easily identified, with his body language telling of a man feeling quite apprehensive, whiles trying strenuously without success to swerve the prying eyes of journalists and the cameras.


Throughout the programme which lasted close to 30 minutes, Nii, who was fully dressed in a chief’s regalia, was seen bending his head to avoid being captured by the cameras.


Try as he did, the media men, especially the photographers, managed to capture him from the distance with their sharp lenses.


Many were those who thought the chief would be apologetic enough by eating back his words to go and greet Nana Akufo-Addo after the event as he [the president-elect] and the chiefs and queen mothers exchanged pleasantries, but the self-acclaimed chief was nowhere to be found, obviously shy to go close.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu /Daily Guide

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M.anifest Drops Video for 100%

Ahead of M.anifest’s end of year concert, M.anifestivities 2016, the has godMC dropped his latest video for 100% (www.bit.ly/100percentvideo) directed by Garth Von Glehn (Flourish and Multiply).


Two of Ghana’s hottest MCs, according to MTV, team up on this banger.  Rapidly rising Ghanaian musician, Worlasi joins M.anifest on 100% and the up beat video reveals a side of them rarely seen. 'Normally some deep things, but now we dey ease things' is how Worlasi put it.


The Keta Lagoon resort served as the backdrop for this video with pulsating rhythms against an enchanting sunset.


The Mobeatz-produced banger was dropped months ago but could this be a precursor to a joint project between M.anifest and Worlasi?


The pair collaborated on two songs on M.anifest's ‘Nowhere Cool’ album.  The video was Executive Produced by TTD Media Ltd.

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Okyeame Kwame Works Hard to Look Good – Annica Nsia-Appau

Okyeame Kwame

Annica Nsiah-Apau, wife and manager of Ghanaian rapper Okyeame Kwame says she feels honored that her husband was adjudged the Male Fashion Celebrity Icon of the Year at the just ended e.TV Ghana Fashion Awards 2016 because he really works hard to look good.

Okyeame Kwame beat former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah and Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD) to emerge winner of the Male Fashion Celebrity Icon category.

According to his wife, though everyone in that category deserved to win, it meant that the organizers and judges of the event appreciated Okyeame Kwame’s unique style of dressing.

Explaining the secret behind her husband’s style of dressing at the event, which took place over the weekend at the Mercedes-Benz Showroom, Silver Star Tower, Annica said “Okyeame Kwame is predominantly Afrocentric and so everything he wears he wants to have the African touch to it.”

“Most of all he is a gentleman who also stands for positivity and so he also dresses according to that,” Okyeame Kwame’s wife stated.

Double Award in November for the Rap Dacta

Okyeame Kwame and his wife (Annia Nisa-Appau)

Annica said Okyeame Kwame, who is known in real life as Kwame Nsiah-Apau, could not pick up the award himself as he was away in the US on business where he was honoured by the Mayor of Cincinnati. The award entailed the key to the City of Cincinnati and an Okyeame Kwame Day celebrated in Cincinnati every year.

This year’s Ghana Fashion Awards which was organized by e.TV Ghana –a subsidiary of Global Media Alliance Broadcast Company - saw a display of fashion prowess by both fashion designers, models and patrons of the event. The show, hosted by e. TV Ghana’s Fati Shaibu Ali and Happy FM’s DJ Advicer, had amazing performances from fast rising songstress eShun. Other high profile personalities like Sandra Ankobiah picked up awards at the event.

The winners for this year’s Ghana Fashion Awards are: Emerging Designer – Ato Tetteh, Designer of the Year – Sima Brew, Accessory Designer of the Year (Jewelry) – Joyce Owusu (Purple Trendz), Accessory Designer of the Year (Bags, Sandals) – Mpaboa. The rest are Female Fashion Celebrity Icon of the Year – Sandra Ankobiah, Fashion Photographer of the Year – Duke Tetteh Quarshie, Male Model of the Year – Meek Ghartey, Female Model of the Year – Leana Efia Apenteng.

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Vodafone Ghana honours Farmers

A 28-year-old farmer from Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region, Nicholas Affum has emerged grand winner in the maiden edition of the Vodafone Farmers Loyalty Awards which rewarded 20 most loyal Vodafone Farmers’ Club subscribers at a ceremony in Techiman in the Brong-Ahafo region.

The grand winner received a hand tractor, a year’s scholarship for one child, and farming gear which included wellington boots, helmets, and other materials required for his work. The other winners took home tricycles, motorbikes, scholarships for their wards and farming gears.

Commenting on the package, Mr. Affum said:

 “I am excited about the honour done me by Vodafone Ghana. The award came to me as a big surprise as I never imagined my work could be recognized. The recognition and prize package will spur me on to succeed and achieve even more”. 

The Nkoranza based farmer encouraged more farmers to sign up to the Vodafone Farmers’ Club to experience the valuable services offered by Vodafone.

Agnes Emefa Essah, Director of the Consumer Business Unit at Vodafone Ghana, said:

“For many years, farmers have played a crucial role in our nutrition and economic growth. At Vodafone, we are proud of our contribution to agriculture through our technology-based engagement with farmers and after a year of success, we find it apt to acknowledge their indispensable contribution to Ghana’s economic growth”.

The CBU Director said Vodafone will continually engage members of its Farmers Club initiative to improve their lives and farm yields, whiles rewarding them for their loyalty.

The Vodafone Farmers’ Club initiative was launched in Ghana in 2015 to offer a range of mobile services exclusively for farmers. Partnered by Esoko Ghana, an information service provider for agricultural markets in Africa, the club provides farmers with access to relevant information on improved farming practices, crop information, prices of commodities and expert advice, in their preferred language.

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Open Letter to Obinim and the Church

Thinking aloud... 

If you decide to belong to a church that will humiliate you a guy for impregnating a lady out of wedlock or you a pregnant lady, then that is purely up to you. Apart from that confused angel, I haven't heard of any church that will dare assault a lady and a guy for engaging in sexually intercourse and ending up with pregnancy.  Because away from the religious self-righteous nonsense, assault is a criminal offence which is against not only the individual but the state, and anyone who allows him or herself to be assaulted in the name of some god is just a plain idiot.

After visiting some churches and seeing how some of its members have been possessed by the spirit of ‘holier than thou’, I'm left to believe that most Christians in our part of the world are ignorant, selfish and judgmental. Yet the Holy Book says ‘Judge not, and you shall not be judged’. Jesus the Christ accepted everyone without pointing out their sins -including the prostitute Mary Magdalene-.

In Christianity which means Christ-like or behaving like Christ, there is a popular account where a woman (Mary Magdalene) was brought to Jesus the Christ for being a prostitute or a ‘loose woman’. Expecting Christ to condemn the woman, the crowd were shocked with the Messiah asked each of them without sin to cast the first stone. This Mary later became a disciple of Christ.

Why can’t we Christians who claim to be emulating the Christ behave in that regard?

To the Churches, will you prefer that youth will pretend to be without sin as they engage in abortions- which is murder, one which is the greatest sins among most religions- and all manner of sinful behaviour or they come in their sinful nature just like Saul and Mary Magdalene did,  and should they get pregnant and you counsel them, accept them just as Jesus the Christ accepted you even in your sin and filth?

On The Obinim Famous Lashing Video

Some have argued that he was disciplining the two individuals for engaging in sexual activity which resulted in pregnancy. If he had done that in his house without publishing it and none of the affected parties felt the need to report it fine. But once it was published (through social media and other platforms) it goes beyond the 2 to become a criminal offence which is against the state as well.

Again other say as the guardian of the 2, the fake angel has the right to discipline them any how or anywhere he likes. I think that is total nonsense. Do you remember the story of the grandparents who decide to discipline their grandkid giving him pressing iron burns? They are prosecuted and jailed for the act. That was the best way they felt they could discipline the kid but was that right in the sight of the law? No!!!

As a man of god, common sense should have told him not to subject a pregnant lady to that form of punishment. I'm no medical practitioner yet I know that he could have caused the lady to lose the pregnancy as a result. I reckon that he and his god will prefer that the innocent baby who was given by God will die because it was conceived out of wedlock. It's a shame!!!

As I get off this dusty road of nonsense and madness in the name of Christianity, I can proudly say -like Jesus the Christ said- that those who assault, scorn or mock individuals who bare a child or children out of wedlock should cast the first stone if they are without sin or they should pick the log out of their eyes before they point to the speck in the eyes of other. 

I'm done

Nii Ogbamey Tetteh

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‘Are You The One’ A Mystery or Reality?

There has been a massive concern about a picture and video making rounds on social media about something called ‘Are You the One’.


For the past few days, a bold picture of a faceless personality in a hood has been flooding various timelines on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram among other social media platforms. On the other side, there was a video of this same hooded personality with a voice that says “are you the one? Coming soon”


Others have also spotted this strange hooded personality in our newspapers with the same inscription as well. The element of surprise attached to this whole thing has got several people around the country asking it is.


As to whether this ‘Are you the one’ craze has to do with a campaign, promotion, event or a movie or series, still remains a mystery.


Meanwhile no organization or face has been attached to this and makes it very difficult to know about. 

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Meet the Ghanaian Reps at this Year’s Project Fame West Africa

Gabriel aka Gabby

GABRIEL ANKRAH is representing Ghana at the 9th of the Project Fame West Africa. Gabriel is fondly called Gabby by his friends. The 27-year-old school teacher who is from Accra loves God, music, and children. Being an only child, Gabriel is very close to his Dad whom he said taught him almost everything, cooking, especially.

Also, because he is an only child, Gabriel hopes to have six children, so he can make up for the large family experience he didn’t have.

Gabby continues to hone his singing skills by listening closely to artistes like Kesse, James Arthur, Frank Ocean, and Brymo. He plays the piano and drums.

Eli

ELI LETSA is the other contestant representing Ghana at the Project Fame West Africa reality show .22year old Eli is currently studying Fashion Designing in Ghana. He grew up in a house where they enjoy listening to music. He holds his family and pastor dearly and would miss them greatly while in the Academy.

He enjoys listening to Timi Dakolo and Tuface while playing his favourite sport-basketball. Apart from singing, Eli also enjoys playing the guitar, Single and ready to mingle, Eli however sees the Academy as serious business and not a place to mingle.

Catch the live telecast of the show every Saturday and Sunday at 7:30pm prompt  exclusively on e.TV Ghana and follow happenings in the academy house every Monday -Friday at  5:30pm.

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Kofi Kinaata Rocks Kaneshie Market at Vodafone 1, 2 free event

Kofi Kinaata rocking the crowd 

Ghanaian Rapper, Kofi Kinaata, has thrilled hundreds of traders and music lovers at the Kaneshie Market in Accra to wonderful tunes during the outdooring of Vodafone 1,2 free.

Kofi Kinaata, who is noted for his great stagecraft, took the stage to treat numerous fans to good music including some of his hit songs like ‘Susuka’, and ‘Oh Azaay’. He got the crowd going “gaga” as he performed more than 30 minutes.

The ‘Fante Rap god’  sang both his old sand current hits with his ‘Sweety Pie and Action Time’ getting patrons patrons of the event on their feet to make some dancing moves.

Speaking to the enthusiastic crowd, Marketing Director of Vodafone Ghana, Agnes Emefa Essah, said, “We are excited that once again we are able to deliver something unique to our customers”.

She added: “Customers, are not outsiders to our business. They are in fact our targets and we will go to every length to make sure that our customers are satisfied with our services”.

“Vodafone 1 – 2 – Free” gives prepaid customers free 60 minutes to call Vodafone numbers or 5 free minutes to call other networks, after every second call.

This means that prepaid Vodafone customers who subscribe to this offer can enjoy every third call for free regardless of the number of minutes spent on the first two calls.

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CSR Practice in Ghana; The Need For Policy Framework

The overall contributions of businesses to sustainable development underpin the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (UNES 2007). 

It is termed differently in several circles. While companies prefer using the term CSR or Corporate citizenship, non-governmental organizations and some governments prefer social investment. 

Some, in recent times, prefer sustainable development in order to demonstrate their consciousness and commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Whatever the term used, be it corporate citizenship, philanthropy, corporate responsibility, social investment or triple bottom line, generally it connotes the contribution of businesses to development in a country.

Currently, CSR has become a popular acronym in the Ghanaian media and means many things to many companies. It is often used by companies at the slightest show of philanthropy to society no matter the worth of what they give out. 

And with the UN’s declaration of the Sustainable Development Goals it has become even more imperative that companies prove their commitment. Regardless, companies cannot be blamed for the exploitation of the term if they have committed resources in any quantum to address societal issues. 

Where there are no clear guidelines and structured framework for CSR practice in a country, the misuse of the term is inevitable and that could expose the all-important role of public policy in shaping CSR practice in Ghana.

  

The challenge with CSR practice in Ghana is lack of strong commitment to integrate CSR practice in to public policy as recognized by Kweku Rockson, senior lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Journalism in a lecture delivered at the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Ghana. He argues that this has led to some organizations virtually isolating some aspects of CSR. 

No wonder in Ghana CSR can be seen to be more social than environmental and more outward (projects in society) than inward (working environment and human right issues). A practice not guided by policy or clear-cut national framework or benchmarks portrays a chaotic scene where companies build with no clear guidelines or with self-made social architectural designs. 

Most often this leads to the duplication of social projects in particular sectors (education and health) to the neglect of other sectors (water and agriculture) that equally need attention.

Though there are considerations and efforts to integrating CSR practice in public policy such as the setting up of the CSR policy committee in 2013, government has shown little commitment to this cause.  

Perhaps government is oblivious of the great potential of the Ghanaian private sector in contributing to social and environmental development as compared to external and donor assistance. The allocation of resources annually for social projects demonstrates the private sector’s eagerness and enthusiasm to address social issues in Ghana. 

Companies such as Vodafone, Guinness Ghana and Tullow to mention but are few, continue to demonstrate their commitment to addressing social issues. Regardless of the amount of financial contribution, are these being harnessed and aligned to a national plan for the actualization of the SDG goals?  

How is the private sector being roped in to contribute to development in Ghana? Actualising development in a sustainable and equitable manner reinforces the importance of public policy in CSR. 

A policy framework which will outline clear targets and enforce minimum standards, guarantee transparency and accountability of business, ensure innovative and adaptable core standards and provide guidelines for reporting as identified by Rockson will provide the enabling environment for effective practice of CSR in Ghana.

Government is the primary development agent in the country and has the responsibility to create the needed environment as well as employing measures to advance sustainable development in the country. Adopting a policy framework, which states a clear development vision on the part of government with objectives and timelines will maximize the potential of the private sector in contributing to the SDGs in Ghana.

By: Princess Sekyere

Founding Director

Kingdom Concepts Consult (KCC)

princess.sekyere@gmail.com

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