Paramount Chief of Cape Coast, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II with French Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Jules-Armand Aniambossou
Destination Ghana Global Project (DGGP), a private-public collaboration that primarily seeks to promote Ghanaian businesses, tourism and local cultural festivals across the globe, has been launched in Cape Coast in the Central Region.
The launch at the Cape Coast Castle recently, was used to announce two major events: This Is Africa Festival and the Tourism Business Summit, both of which will happen in Cape Coast every December, starting from this year.
The Paramount Chief of the Cape Coast Traditional Area, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, was the Chairman at the launch programme. He stated that the two events would further help position Cape Coast as an important tourism, cultural and commercial hub.
The Special Guest of Honour for the launch, French Ambassador, Jules Armand Aniambossou pledged his Mission’s support for DGGP and stated French President Emmanuel Macron’s abundant interest in issues that affect Africa. From left: Bessa Simons of MUSIGA, Nana Obokese Ampah, Project Cultural Lead and French Ambassador Aniambossou
“Mr. Macron has a good heart for the continent”, Ambassador Aniambossou said. He described France as “a true friend of the African continent” and that France was ready to demonstrate that.
Ambassador Aniambossou later met with key stakeholders and local government officials at the office of the Mayor of Cape Coast, to discuss areas of partnership in commerce and tourism development.
On the proposed partnership with the French, Osabraimba Kwesi Atta II, gave an assurance that Cape Coast stood ready to lead the teaching and learning of French in Ghana as well as to welcome French businesses for foreign direct investments.
Ghana Tourism Authority’s Destination Ghana campaign, launched by the Government of Ghana in April 2022 in the United Kingdom, was the motivating factor for the advent of DGGP.
According to the DGGP Secretariat, the project has identified useful business summits, tourism conferences, concerts and cultural festivals across the globe that it is collaborating with to market its agenda from May 25, 2023 to November 30, 2023.
In a video message delivered by Ghana’s High Commissioner to Malta, Barbara Akuorkor Benisa, she pledged her Mission’s support for the project.
“As you target to attract over 100,000 visitors to Ghana annually with this project, I am assuring you that I will personally help push the agenda here in Malta. With the help of the Culture and Tourism Ministers here in Malta, I will lead a strong delegation to Ghana to participate in this year’s This Is Africa Festival and the Tourism Summit come December.”
Nana Obokese Ampah, a Director and Cultural Lead for the DGGP, indicated that the broader aim of the project is to market Ghana as a vital home of culture, warmth and rhythm.
Cape Coast Mayor, Ernest Arthur and the Central Regional Minister, Marigold Assan pledged the readiness of their offices to ensure the two events make the biggest impact in tourism and investment in the Central Region.
In his address, the Executive Director of the PANAFEST Foundation, Rabbi Kohain Halevi, who is leading the pitch sessions to market DGGP said Cape Coast deserved to be the forerunner in tourism in Ghana.
“We will be looking for the right partnerships to position this great city as the flagship tourist destination in Africa,” he added.
Events producer, Verus Nartey who has handled successful concerts in Ghana and other parts of the world, said the This Is Africa Festival would once again offer Cape Coast a wonderful opportunity to extend a welcoming hand to Africans from across the globe.
Musicians Bessa Simons, Jupitar, Kofi Kinaata, Lamisi, Asodzi Cultural Troupe and the Flat 5 Band performed at the launch. They were later unveiled as the Ambassadors for the project, as they will lead the promotion as well as provide entertainment at DGGP events.
The Destination Ghana Global Project is being organised by the DGGP Secretariat, Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration, Africa, Obokese Foundation, Ghana Tourism Authority, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Ghana Museums & Monuments Board, RAM Media Concept and SM Group Ltd.
Iconic Nigerian singer Peter Okoye has responded to allegations made by his twin brother Paul over ownership of a new song “Winning.”
Peter Okoye shared a detailed account of the song’s creation, clarifying his role and collaboration with others, including Ghanaian producer Vampire and songwriter Calypso.
He questioned Paul’s claims, citing their agreed-upon creative process and Paul’s removal of his (Peter’s) vocals from joint songs.
Peter also addressed his temporary break from music, stating he took time to recharge before returning with “Winning.”
He wrote on X: “If you have followed my journey as a solo artiste and even before, you will notice that I give people their due credit where necessary as I am a firm believer in teamwork; I know my strengths, where I need assistance or guidance I am not afraid to ask or work with those who are strong in the areas I am not; this includes the process of creating music, executing concepts and ideas etc. I will always credit people for their contributions to my projects.
“Sometime in June 2022, I stumbled upon a producer based in Ghana named Vampire, and my team and I also personally reached out to him via DM, that I liked his work and was interested in working with him. Before getting him to Lagos, I presented the idea of this producer to my twin brother and our team, getting their buy-in before I got him flight tickets and flew him to Lagos.“
It was when he got into Lagos I asked if he would be open to working on P-SQUARE’s next album project, that the 5 songs I had penned down from my end to be presented to our A&R team for the album project were: JAIYE, WINNING, FIND SOMEBODY, LEGENDARY, and ATTENTION, based on tracks he had produced.
“We started with my own 5 songs that needed to be submitted for PSQUARE’s album, which he produced for me: The idea for WINNING came from one of his beats that I discovered. I came up with the idea of changing the chord progression from the original version to what it is today with my own producer Goldswarm who is the co-producer of the song WINNING.
“I had also engaged a songwriter known as CALYPSO who wrote and composed the song WINNING and sent it to me on the beats through a voice note. And we started working on the song. Mind you, he worked on some other songs that were to make the album as well, so my brother was aware of his input to the production as we were all in the studio during this period.
“Then when my twin brother heard the song WINNING, which we had already created the hook/chorus for, he then wanted to start creating a verse. Our agreed-on process for each song presented by us was: arrange the song, leave a verse for the other person, then we both harmonise the chorus and refrain bits together. He wasn’t supposed to until Calypso and I finished it as part of my own song submission to the LEGENDARY ALBUM.
“After that, we finished and shared verses among ourselves. I do not wish to get into details of why the album didn’t see the light of day till date but it takes a different level of psychosis for one to steal what is theirs already; as since the release of this song, I have been labeled and called all sorts online and they have even gone as far as asking for the song to be taken down on various platforms, to what end?
“It was never part of his 5, now 6 (according to him) songs for submission, yet when he felt I was not interested in making music because I chose my sanity over the constant berating and drama that seemed to come up over creative direction in the group.
“If it were his song, why do I have all the music data including initial conversations and picture/video evidence on the above-mentioned titles/songs? Which of his songs do I have its data in my possession in that case? All because he was hoping for me to quit music. Even when I learnt that he had removed my vocals on songs we did together, suggesting that he sing the entire songs including the ones that he planned to present for the album without my input (a very absurd idea as we both make up the duo not just the one), but we both perform them on stage, I begun to have a rethink of the entire situation. Let me leave this here.
“Maybe because I was not posting anything music-related on my social media page for over 4 months. He believes I have lost interest in music. I took a breather to get my mind and head in the right space and when that was done, my epiphany was WINNING!”.
producer and executive, Don Jazzy, has urged men to prioritise the paternity of their children, stating that it is more important than a naming ceremony.
On his Instagram story, Don Jazzy emphasised: “DNA test is more important than naming ceremony.”
His statement comes amid ongoing debates about the necessity of DNA tests, fuelled by recent high-profile cases of paternity fraud.
Don Jazzy known in real life as Michael Collins Ajereh is the founder of Mavin Records – through which he has signed artistes including D’Prince, Rema, and Ayra Starr.
Pastor Hammond Love, widely known as Pastor Love, has been convicted of theft and sentenced to 48 months in prison with hard labour.
GBC Ghana Online reports that Pastor Love, a former husband of gospel musician Obaapa Christie, was found guilty of the offence after seven years of trial.
Before he was sentenced, Pastor Love pleaded with the court for mercy, adding that he was willing to pay any fine that would be imposed on him.
The court presided over by Isaac Addo, took into consideration the fact that the convicted Pastor Love was a first-time offender.
The court held that as a Pastor, he was expected to hold a high level of integrity, especially in matters of trust, and therefore handed him the 48-month jail term as a fair deterrent.
The facts of the case as presented by ASP Frimpong was that in 2016 one Samuel Amankwah, a resident of the US, shipped a 4×4 vehicle into Ghana and tasked Pastor Love to clear it from the port.
The convict cleared the said vehicle with his money, after which the complainant told him to sell it for US$50,000 and deduct the amount he paid as duty.
Later, the complainant told Pastor Love to hold on with the sale of the vehicle as he would travel to Ghana and refund his money.
In April 2017, the complainant arrived in the country and contacted Pastor Love for his vehicle, but he could not produce it despite several demands.
The complainant complained with the Police and Pastor Love was arrested in May 2017.
During interrogation, the convicted Pastor Love told the Police that he secured a loan of GH¢40,000 with 20 per cent interest to clear the vehicle and was accruing more interest, so he sold the vehicle at GH¢80,000 without the consent of the owner and paid GH¢70,000 to the loan company.
Meanwhile, Pastor Love was unable to lead the Police to the said loan company to verify the claim and could not also tell who bought the vehicle.
The Judge said the convict was dishonest to the Court.