Saturday, June 20, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 46)
By Rebecca Kwei
Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region will tonight host the first of the regional events of the Miss Ghana and National Dance Championship.
Media Whizzkids, the original franchise holders of the Miss Ghana pageant who has taken over the management and production of the popular event from Sparrow Productions at the end of a five-year deal, has promised a well repackaged event which it hopes will produce a Miss World from Ghana by the end of 2011.
The regional nation-wide public format of the event which made it one of the best entertainment shows in the country, was lost during the last five editions of the event and according to the Managing Director of Media Whizzkids, Mr Christopher Adama, the company was ready to go to all 10 regions of the country in search of a worthy beauty queen and a dance champ.
Mr Adama said further that the public will this time have some say in who represents them at the Miss Ghana final. Unlike previous editions where judges selected two beauties to represent each region, three contestants will now be selected and the public will vote to choose the one to go through to the final event in Accra.
“Our aim is to make the event more interactive by giving the public a chance to make an input,” Mr Adama said in a chat with The Mirror. “We think it would be exciting for everyone to participate in coming up with who wears the regional crown and eventually, the national crown.”
For the dance segment, individuals or groups can register to participate.
Musicians King Ayisoba, Kawa Stone and Sherifatu Gunu will perform at Wa.
This year, the winner of the beauty contest will drive away a fresh Tata Safari four-wheel drive as well as represent Ghana at the Miss World contest and sponsors’ products while the dance champ receives GH¢5,000 plus sponsors’ products.
The next regional event will be in Bolgatanga on Friday, June 26 while the Northern Region will take its turn on Saturday, June 27, in Tamale.
This year’s Miss Ghana and National Dance Championship is sponsored by PHC Motors, DDP, Bonaqua, Labadi Beach Hotel, ABL, Danny’s Decoration, GTV, Somovision, Soundcheck, Trendsetters and Graphic Showbiz.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
12 Wannabe stars unveiled
Saturday, June 13, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 46)
By Rebecca Kwei
For the next 13 weeks, 12 wannabe music stars will pit their talents against one another for the title of Star of the Future.
The 12, comprising seven ladies and five gentlemen, who were unveiled at the National Theatre on Tuesday, are Akosua Kyeremanten, Rachel Cochrane, Lillian Lanquaye-Tetteh, Pearl Farkye, Daniel Essel and Bright Korley Martey,
The rest are Christian Owusu, Rose Pomaney, Enoch Larbi, Nelson Narh, Bertha Bridget Kankam and Nyaneba Attuah.
Twenty contestants made it out of the over 700 who auditioned for the series and the number pruned to the final 12.
If their performances at the launch were anything to go by, then the judges face an uphill task because the contestants have real musical talents.
Although it was the first time many of the 12 contestants were performing live to a large audience, they managed to excite the audience with their joint performance.
The contestants were given pep-talks by some industry gurus such as Abraham Ohene Gyan, Amandzeba and Sammi Helwani on what to expect once they enter the competition and how to conduct themselves in order to survive in the music industry.
The next 13 weeks promise to be exciting in the search for the voice of a new generation, and to determine this the contestants will be put through different tests, with themes like Pop Night, Highlife Night, Gospel Night and Oldies Night. The number of contestants will be reduced till the final show which has been slated for August 22, 2009.
According to Ms Juno Turkson, the Public Relations Executive of Charterhouse, the National Theatre will be the home of the Stars of the Future as the weekly performances will be recorded to a live audience at 7 p.m. every Friday for the duration of the series.
She said the contestants would also be coached on stage performance, song writing, choreography and basic knowledge in copyright and artistes management.
The judges for this season are ace radio presenter, Doreen Andoh; producer extraordinaire, Zapp Mallet, and the CEO of EKB records, Kiki Banson.
The Music Director of the series is Mr Johny Fingers, while Master Mix Studios will provide sound, with music by the resident band, the Shabo Crew.
The series is currently airing on GTV, with the performance show airing at 3 p.m. every Sunday and the eviction show at 9.30 p.m. on Tuesdays.
Those who miss these shows can look forward to the Stars of the Future radio edition.
Stars of the Future series is a Charterhouse production, with sponsorship from MTN, Coca Cola, Castle Milk Stout and Somovision.
Fans of the various contestants are urged to vote for their favourites to stay in the competition by sending their names to MTN short code 1750. The public makes 70 per cent of the decision of who leaves the show and who stays on till the finals.
By Rebecca Kwei
For the next 13 weeks, 12 wannabe music stars will pit their talents against one another for the title of Star of the Future.
The 12, comprising seven ladies and five gentlemen, who were unveiled at the National Theatre on Tuesday, are Akosua Kyeremanten, Rachel Cochrane, Lillian Lanquaye-Tetteh, Pearl Farkye, Daniel Essel and Bright Korley Martey,
The rest are Christian Owusu, Rose Pomaney, Enoch Larbi, Nelson Narh, Bertha Bridget Kankam and Nyaneba Attuah.
Twenty contestants made it out of the over 700 who auditioned for the series and the number pruned to the final 12.
If their performances at the launch were anything to go by, then the judges face an uphill task because the contestants have real musical talents.
Although it was the first time many of the 12 contestants were performing live to a large audience, they managed to excite the audience with their joint performance.
The contestants were given pep-talks by some industry gurus such as Abraham Ohene Gyan, Amandzeba and Sammi Helwani on what to expect once they enter the competition and how to conduct themselves in order to survive in the music industry.
The next 13 weeks promise to be exciting in the search for the voice of a new generation, and to determine this the contestants will be put through different tests, with themes like Pop Night, Highlife Night, Gospel Night and Oldies Night. The number of contestants will be reduced till the final show which has been slated for August 22, 2009.
According to Ms Juno Turkson, the Public Relations Executive of Charterhouse, the National Theatre will be the home of the Stars of the Future as the weekly performances will be recorded to a live audience at 7 p.m. every Friday for the duration of the series.
She said the contestants would also be coached on stage performance, song writing, choreography and basic knowledge in copyright and artistes management.
The judges for this season are ace radio presenter, Doreen Andoh; producer extraordinaire, Zapp Mallet, and the CEO of EKB records, Kiki Banson.
The Music Director of the series is Mr Johny Fingers, while Master Mix Studios will provide sound, with music by the resident band, the Shabo Crew.
The series is currently airing on GTV, with the performance show airing at 3 p.m. every Sunday and the eviction show at 9.30 p.m. on Tuesdays.
Those who miss these shows can look forward to the Stars of the Future radio edition.
Stars of the Future series is a Charterhouse production, with sponsorship from MTN, Coca Cola, Castle Milk Stout and Somovision.
Fans of the various contestants are urged to vote for their favourites to stay in the competition by sending their names to MTN short code 1750. The public makes 70 per cent of the decision of who leaves the show and who stays on till the finals.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
HIV prevalence rate drops
Saturday, June 6, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 28)
By Rebecca Kwei
The national HIV prevalence rate dropped from 1.9 per cent in 2007 to 1.7 per cent in 2008.
The national median HIV prevalence also declined to 2.2 per cent in 2008.
This was made known at the dissemination of 2008 HIV Sentinel Survey Report and National HIV and AIDS Prevalence Estimates and Projections in Accra last Tuesday.
The HIV Sentinel Survey is a cross-sectional survey targeting pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in selected antenatal clinics in Ghana.
According to the Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme, Dr Nii Akwei Addo, who presented the results, the consecutive decline of the HIV prevalence was also witnessed in 2004 and 2005.
He said the Eastern Region continued to be the region with the highest prevalence level of 4.2 per cent, while the Northern Region had the lowest prevalence of 1.1 per cent.
However, all the regions, with the exception of the Eastern Region, recorded a decrease in prevalence from 2007. Three regions, namely, the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern, had prevalence rates of three per cent and above.
The Upper West Region recorded the highest decline from 3.3 per cent to 1.6 per cent, while three regions, Volta, Western and Upper East, had also witnessed consistent decline in prevalence since 2006.
According to the report, HIV prevalence in urban areas was higher than in rural areas. The mean HIV prevalence of urban communities is 2.6 per cent, compared to 2.3 per cent in rural areas.
For the age group, the highest prevalence of 3.0 per cent is recorded within the 25-29 year group, while the least of 1.2 per cent is recorded in the 15-19 year group.
The prevalence rate among the 15-24 year group, which is used as a marker for new infections, is 1.9 per cent.
The report indicated that 94.5 per cent of the HIV positive samples were HIV type I, while 3.8 per cent was HIV type II, with dual infection of HIV types I and II being 1.7 per cent.
For syphilis, the median prevalence for 2008 was 3.8 per cent, showing a decrease from 2007 which was 5.1 per cent.
The Central Region remained the region with the highest syphilis prevalence, with an increase in the rate from 18.6 per cent to 20.5 per cent.
The region with the lowest syphilis prevalence was Northern, following a decline in prevalence from 2.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent.
HIV prevalence among sexually transmitted infection (STI) clients almost doubled from 5.7 per cent to 10.5 per cent in 2008.
The Adabraka and Kumasi STI sites recorded a prevalence of 15 per cent and 6.5 per cent, respectively. The prevalence among females (11.8 per cent) is still higher than that of males (7.8 per cent) and high in the 35-39 year group (15.9 per cent).
On estimations and projections of the HIV prevalence, Dr Addo said an estimated 236,151 people, comprising 98,306 males and 137,845 females, live with HIV and AIDS in Ghana.
He said there were 22,541 new infections and 18,082 AIDS deaths, out of which 2,241 were children.
It was projected that while the number of AIDS deaths was expected to decline, the number of people living with HIV was expected to increase gradually with improved access to anti-retroviral therapy (ART), coupled with resulting new infections.
On the challenges, Dr Addo said there was the need to sustain prevention education targeted at the youth and other special groups.
He said the persistence of syphilis in some sites for the past years required further examination to explain its influence on the overall regional HIV prevalence, adding that STI services must be strengthened to ensure that all clients were tested for HIV.
The Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, said the country must not be complacent due to the decline of the HIV prevalence rate but maximise efforts to attain a further reduction in the HIV disease, adding that “a single case of HIV anywhere is HIV everywhere”.
By Rebecca Kwei
The national HIV prevalence rate dropped from 1.9 per cent in 2007 to 1.7 per cent in 2008.
The national median HIV prevalence also declined to 2.2 per cent in 2008.
This was made known at the dissemination of 2008 HIV Sentinel Survey Report and National HIV and AIDS Prevalence Estimates and Projections in Accra last Tuesday.
The HIV Sentinel Survey is a cross-sectional survey targeting pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in selected antenatal clinics in Ghana.
According to the Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme, Dr Nii Akwei Addo, who presented the results, the consecutive decline of the HIV prevalence was also witnessed in 2004 and 2005.
He said the Eastern Region continued to be the region with the highest prevalence level of 4.2 per cent, while the Northern Region had the lowest prevalence of 1.1 per cent.
However, all the regions, with the exception of the Eastern Region, recorded a decrease in prevalence from 2007. Three regions, namely, the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern, had prevalence rates of three per cent and above.
The Upper West Region recorded the highest decline from 3.3 per cent to 1.6 per cent, while three regions, Volta, Western and Upper East, had also witnessed consistent decline in prevalence since 2006.
According to the report, HIV prevalence in urban areas was higher than in rural areas. The mean HIV prevalence of urban communities is 2.6 per cent, compared to 2.3 per cent in rural areas.
For the age group, the highest prevalence of 3.0 per cent is recorded within the 25-29 year group, while the least of 1.2 per cent is recorded in the 15-19 year group.
The prevalence rate among the 15-24 year group, which is used as a marker for new infections, is 1.9 per cent.
The report indicated that 94.5 per cent of the HIV positive samples were HIV type I, while 3.8 per cent was HIV type II, with dual infection of HIV types I and II being 1.7 per cent.
For syphilis, the median prevalence for 2008 was 3.8 per cent, showing a decrease from 2007 which was 5.1 per cent.
The Central Region remained the region with the highest syphilis prevalence, with an increase in the rate from 18.6 per cent to 20.5 per cent.
The region with the lowest syphilis prevalence was Northern, following a decline in prevalence from 2.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent.
HIV prevalence among sexually transmitted infection (STI) clients almost doubled from 5.7 per cent to 10.5 per cent in 2008.
The Adabraka and Kumasi STI sites recorded a prevalence of 15 per cent and 6.5 per cent, respectively. The prevalence among females (11.8 per cent) is still higher than that of males (7.8 per cent) and high in the 35-39 year group (15.9 per cent).
On estimations and projections of the HIV prevalence, Dr Addo said an estimated 236,151 people, comprising 98,306 males and 137,845 females, live with HIV and AIDS in Ghana.
He said there were 22,541 new infections and 18,082 AIDS deaths, out of which 2,241 were children.
It was projected that while the number of AIDS deaths was expected to decline, the number of people living with HIV was expected to increase gradually with improved access to anti-retroviral therapy (ART), coupled with resulting new infections.
On the challenges, Dr Addo said there was the need to sustain prevention education targeted at the youth and other special groups.
He said the persistence of syphilis in some sites for the past years required further examination to explain its influence on the overall regional HIV prevalence, adding that STI services must be strengthened to ensure that all clients were tested for HIV.
The Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, said the country must not be complacent due to the decline of the HIV prevalence rate but maximise efforts to attain a further reduction in the HIV disease, adding that “a single case of HIV anywhere is HIV everywhere”.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Fashion trade fair for Sept
Saturday, May 30, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 46)
By Rebecca Kwei
Come September this year, a trade fair that will help Ghanaian designers meet, network and trade directly with international buyers will take place at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Dubbed ‘Clothes Show Live! Ghana ’09 it will operate as a fashion road show brand (Clothes Show Live) which has been running in the UK for more than 20 years where local fashion designers sell their apparel on the spot to buyers from the large chain of retail shops.
Speaking at the press launch in Accra, the event organiser, Eric Manu of the London Designers Fashion Show Limited, explained that the event is not a fashion show but rather a trade fair which will run for two days.
Although, there will be a catwalk show, Mr Manu maintained that it is a trade fair where participants will set stalls and show their new collections to fashion consumers.
“During the day, there will be a 10-minute catwalk show every hour by various designers, but there will be many stalls with exciting exhibits for everyone,” he said.
So far about 30 international designers of African descent are preparing to come and join other local designers for the exhibition.
Some of the designers are Kofi Ansah, Ghana, Imane Ayissi, Cameroon, House of Ole, Kluk CGDT, Thula Sindi, David Tlale all from South Africa, Bantu Wax, Ethiopia (based in US), Sika Designs, Ghana (based in UK), Deola Sagoe, House of Jole, both from Nigeria and Mustafa, Tanzania.
He said the event is open all — seamstresses, tailors, fashion designers, fashion accessories producers, shoe designers and makers, textile manufacturers and any industry that has a link to fashion from Africa.
According to Mr Manu who has been in the fashion business in the UK for close to 10 years, his vision came about as a result of a deep passion to help stimulate the fashion industry in Africa.
“Being from Ghana, I chose to make Ghana the home for this event, so that we may hold the exhibition periodically and bring in many participants from all over the world, thereby building on our tourism receipts too.”
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hanna Tetteh, said the fashion industry in Ghana has a great future if the private sector collaborates with government to create a platform to showcase Ghana’s potential to the global market.
Additionally, she said the industry has the potential of creating job opportunities for the many unemployed youth and urged the organisers of the event to link up with our tertiary institutions to discover the numerous talents in the industry that are produced yearly and create a platform for them to showcase their talent.
By Rebecca Kwei
Come September this year, a trade fair that will help Ghanaian designers meet, network and trade directly with international buyers will take place at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Dubbed ‘Clothes Show Live! Ghana ’09 it will operate as a fashion road show brand (Clothes Show Live) which has been running in the UK for more than 20 years where local fashion designers sell their apparel on the spot to buyers from the large chain of retail shops.
Speaking at the press launch in Accra, the event organiser, Eric Manu of the London Designers Fashion Show Limited, explained that the event is not a fashion show but rather a trade fair which will run for two days.
Although, there will be a catwalk show, Mr Manu maintained that it is a trade fair where participants will set stalls and show their new collections to fashion consumers.
“During the day, there will be a 10-minute catwalk show every hour by various designers, but there will be many stalls with exciting exhibits for everyone,” he said.
So far about 30 international designers of African descent are preparing to come and join other local designers for the exhibition.
Some of the designers are Kofi Ansah, Ghana, Imane Ayissi, Cameroon, House of Ole, Kluk CGDT, Thula Sindi, David Tlale all from South Africa, Bantu Wax, Ethiopia (based in US), Sika Designs, Ghana (based in UK), Deola Sagoe, House of Jole, both from Nigeria and Mustafa, Tanzania.
He said the event is open all — seamstresses, tailors, fashion designers, fashion accessories producers, shoe designers and makers, textile manufacturers and any industry that has a link to fashion from Africa.
According to Mr Manu who has been in the fashion business in the UK for close to 10 years, his vision came about as a result of a deep passion to help stimulate the fashion industry in Africa.
“Being from Ghana, I chose to make Ghana the home for this event, so that we may hold the exhibition periodically and bring in many participants from all over the world, thereby building on our tourism receipts too.”
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hanna Tetteh, said the fashion industry in Ghana has a great future if the private sector collaborates with government to create a platform to showcase Ghana’s potential to the global market.
Additionally, she said the industry has the potential of creating job opportunities for the many unemployed youth and urged the organisers of the event to link up with our tertiary institutions to discover the numerous talents in the industry that are produced yearly and create a platform for them to showcase their talent.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Eight young designers for Fashion Weekend
Saturday, May 23, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 47)
By Rebecca Kwei
Eight amateur fashion designers have been selected to feature in this year’s Ghana Fashion Weekend 2009.
They are Klekleli Dzidienyo, Elimens, Quami Wear, Rowena Adjivon, Salimi, Miriam Yentumi, Bern Mensah and Doreen Lartey.
The event, which is scheduled for July 1-4, 2009 at the Accra International Conference Centre, is a blend of modelling shows and fashion exhibition and it is aimed at promoting African fashion. “Harnessing Creative Talents within Africa” is the theme for the event.
According to Sima Ibrahim, the CEO of Exopa Model Agency, organisers of the event, the best up-coming fashion designer who will be selected through a contest will be sponsored by the French Embassy to France to develop his or her talent.
Additionally, the French Embassy will engage the services of a Cameroonian designer who will take the young designers through a workshop before the final event.
After the event, each of the young designers will also have the opportunity to understudy a local professional designer for about a year.
Twenty designers comprising 10 of Ghana’s most respected designers, 10 from the international scene, in addition to the eight young designers, would showcase their talent at the event.
About 100 Exopa models made of 40 foreign models and 60 from Ghana will feature on the runway and they are expected to treat the audience to unique catwalk experience.
Some of the designers are Joyce Ababio, Allan David, Royal Dennis, Menice Apparel and Nallem, all from Ghana, Alphadi, Niger, Modella, Nigeria, and Adebayor Jones, UK.
The exciting side attraction is that Boris Kodjoe, the German-Ghanaian actor and designer, who owns the Ziami Clothing lines, will be in Ghana to grace the occasion. He will be accompanied by his wife, Nicole Ari Parker, who is also an actress.
Boris, well known for his role as Damon Carter in show time drama ‘Soul Food’, will showcase his designs.
Mr Ibrahim said some of the Black Stars players such as Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Stephen Appiah, Arsenal player Emmanuel Adebayor and Gerald Asamoah, who plays for the German national team and Schalke 04, will model clothes from Boris Kodjoe.
Mr Ibrahim said he had been to the USA to meet with Boris, who is excited about coming to Ghana.
He said Black Entertainment Television (BET), an American cable network, is doing a documentary on Boris Kodjoe and will thus accompany him to Ghana to film his (Boris) background, as well as the event.
He noted that this would give the fashion industry in Ghana a boost, since the documentary would be shown to a wider audience.
Mr Ibrahim said there would also be a fashion exhibition that would run concurrently with the modelling shows and appealed to people engaged in fashion-related products and services to contact Exopa for space allocation.
He said the modelling events would not only feature slim ladies but l-sized ladies will also hit the runway.
“Most Ghanaian ladies are not slim and it is important that we do not always focus on the slim ones only but encourage designers to create outfits for l-sized ladies as well.”
By Rebecca Kwei
Eight amateur fashion designers have been selected to feature in this year’s Ghana Fashion Weekend 2009.
They are Klekleli Dzidienyo, Elimens, Quami Wear, Rowena Adjivon, Salimi, Miriam Yentumi, Bern Mensah and Doreen Lartey.
The event, which is scheduled for July 1-4, 2009 at the Accra International Conference Centre, is a blend of modelling shows and fashion exhibition and it is aimed at promoting African fashion. “Harnessing Creative Talents within Africa” is the theme for the event.
According to Sima Ibrahim, the CEO of Exopa Model Agency, organisers of the event, the best up-coming fashion designer who will be selected through a contest will be sponsored by the French Embassy to France to develop his or her talent.
Additionally, the French Embassy will engage the services of a Cameroonian designer who will take the young designers through a workshop before the final event.
After the event, each of the young designers will also have the opportunity to understudy a local professional designer for about a year.
Twenty designers comprising 10 of Ghana’s most respected designers, 10 from the international scene, in addition to the eight young designers, would showcase their talent at the event.
About 100 Exopa models made of 40 foreign models and 60 from Ghana will feature on the runway and they are expected to treat the audience to unique catwalk experience.
Some of the designers are Joyce Ababio, Allan David, Royal Dennis, Menice Apparel and Nallem, all from Ghana, Alphadi, Niger, Modella, Nigeria, and Adebayor Jones, UK.
The exciting side attraction is that Boris Kodjoe, the German-Ghanaian actor and designer, who owns the Ziami Clothing lines, will be in Ghana to grace the occasion. He will be accompanied by his wife, Nicole Ari Parker, who is also an actress.
Boris, well known for his role as Damon Carter in show time drama ‘Soul Food’, will showcase his designs.
Mr Ibrahim said some of the Black Stars players such as Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Stephen Appiah, Arsenal player Emmanuel Adebayor and Gerald Asamoah, who plays for the German national team and Schalke 04, will model clothes from Boris Kodjoe.
Mr Ibrahim said he had been to the USA to meet with Boris, who is excited about coming to Ghana.
He said Black Entertainment Television (BET), an American cable network, is doing a documentary on Boris Kodjoe and will thus accompany him to Ghana to film his (Boris) background, as well as the event.
He noted that this would give the fashion industry in Ghana a boost, since the documentary would be shown to a wider audience.
Mr Ibrahim said there would also be a fashion exhibition that would run concurrently with the modelling shows and appealed to people engaged in fashion-related products and services to contact Exopa for space allocation.
He said the modelling events would not only feature slim ladies but l-sized ladies will also hit the runway.
“Most Ghanaian ladies are not slim and it is important that we do not always focus on the slim ones only but encourage designers to create outfits for l-sized ladies as well.”
Gemann — From disgrace to grace
Saturday, May 23, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 3)
By Rebecca Kwei
From Fame to Shame, From Disgrace to Grace is the title of his book which will be out soon and perhaps the title clearly speaks about his life.
Nana Kwasi Agyemang popularly known as Gemann who shot to fame in the early 1980s but had to spend 14 years in prison for murder, says he has come a long way but very grateful to God for His love.
“I am doing very well by God’s grace. In fact I’m doing extremely well,” was what he said when The Mirror caught up with him at his office at Adabraka, a suburb of Accra, to find out how he was coping with life after prison.
New life
Now a pastor, Gemann celebrated his 46th birthday on Tuesday, May 19. He now sports a new-look an afro (Gemann used to have long wet curls) and is involved in a number of Christian activities.
He has started a church, New Life Christian Love Fellowship which operates at the O’reilly Secondary School at Adabraka. The church has about 35 members.
He said being a pastor was a vision the Lord gave him while he was in prison.
“I had wanted to become a preacher even before I went to prison. As a kid I always played the role of a pastor which earned me the name Osofo,” he recalled.
He explained that his intention then was to be rich and succeed in the entertainment industry before taking up pastoral duties so people would not think he went into it because of the money .
“But God had His own plans and it happened that I had to go through the training inside prison,” he said.
The New Life Christian Love Fellowship started while he was in prison. He says aside the church having a branch in Accra, there are three branches: one each in the Condemned Cell and the main yard at Nsawam Prison and one at Ankaful Prison Annex.
Gemann now also has permit to visit all police cells in the country to preach and educate on life and crime.
He said he had visited some police cells in Accra and Tema and was happy that anytime he visited a police cell, not less than five people gave their lives to Christ after hearing him.
“I believe God has preserved my life so that I may be light unto those who are still in darkness,” he noted.
Suspects in police cells, he indicated, related better to him because they knew he had gone through a similar situation.
Gemann has not shirked his love for the entertainment industry and has also started a Christian multi-media entertainment company called Godsbiz (God’s Business) that deals in gospel music, video production and artiste management.
According to him he has also developed a radio programme, Talent from the Biblical Perspective which airs on Channel R, where he tries to help the youth identify and develop their talent by bringing in guests who have made it in life to share their experiences.
He said he was developing a television version of the programme which will hit the screens soon.
On Wednesdays and Fridays, he is a panelist on the entertainment review programme, 205, on the same station where he brings his Christian perspective to bear on entertainment matters.
Despite having so much going for him already, Gemann, revealed that he is recording a new gospel album which he calls 14. The title represents the number of years he spent in prison. He said the album will probably have 14 tracks on it as well.
Gemann said he was also a motivational speaker since he got a lot of invitations from other churches to come and share his testimony.
January 9, 1995
January 9, 1995 was the day Gemann’s life changed. Although he was not too willing to be retrospect since the story had been told over and over again, he did summarise what happened that day.
According to Gemann, a lady friend called Nada had boarded a taxi to come and visit him at his then residence at Dome CFC.
He said apparently, Nada who did not have money on her to pay, had also not come to an agreement over the fare with the driver.
Thus when Nada got to his place and he decided to pay, there was a disagreement over the fare and the taxi driver left without taking any money.
He said the taxi driver came back an hour later, parked his car about 500 metres away from his (Gemann’s) house and then came to the house to collect sand into a plastic bag.
He said when he enquired what he (taxi driver) was going to do with the sand, he replied that he would kill each and every one in the house.
“This led to a heated argument and as a result, I fired a warning shot to calm the situation but this rather infuriated him (taxi driver),” he narrated.
According to Gemann, in the course of bringing the taxi driver back to the house from where he (taxi driver) had parked his car to reverse whatever curse he might have done, there was a struggle and the pistol went off killing the taxi driver.
“What happened was purely an accident. I was a novice at handling such weapons and because I had fired a warning shot earlier, the pistol went off easily, he said with sadness in his voice.
I felt terrible, devastated and broken. I immediately went to the police station to report myself.
Gemann was later sentenced to death by hanging on January 9, 1995. He was granted presidential pardon and coincidentally released from prison on January 9, 2009. He believes the dates are not a coincidence but a miracle.
Turning point
According to Gemann he was a Christian but did not have a personal relationship and commitment with Christ.
“But when the incident happened, I knew at that moment that the only person who could save me was Jesus and I made a personal commitment to Him that very day,” he recalled.
Asked why he had bought a pistol, Gemann said when he moved to his then residence, he was told that the area was armed robbery-prone so he bought the pistol for protection against armed robbers.
“But in the end I slept with armed robbers in the same prison. Now I know it is God who protects and not pistols,” he stated.
Good things
One good thing, Gemann notes, is that he is at peace with the family of the taxi driver, Kwasi Agyei, whom he accidentally killed.
“The good thing is that the family of the late Kwasi Agyei wrote a petition to former President J. A. Kufuor for my release”.
Quoting Proverbs 16:7 — When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him (King James Version) to support, he said: “I prayed to God always to heal the wounds I had created and God touched their hearts.”
He said when he was released from prison, the family of the late Kwasi Agyei received him warmly and he is now part of that family.
He said the late Agyei had a daughter who is 14 years now and is almost like a daughter to him. He promises to take full responsibility of her at the appropriate time.
Unfortunately, Nada died two years ago.
Family ties
Gemann said he was grateful to his family and many others for their support without whom he would not have survived in prison.
Gemann has three siblings; his older brother is also a pastor, while his other brother is in the United Kingdom and his little sister is in the United States.
His father, Amoo Agyemang passed on six years ago and he now lives with his 76-year-old mother, Augusta Asiedu Agyemang at Teshie Nungua, a suburb of Accra.
Gemann has a daughter, Tremina Gemann, who is 18 and lives in Holland.
“Tremina was only three years old when I went to prison and obviously a difficult time for her growing up. But the good thing is that now I can talk to her anytime I want,” he said.
Early life
Born at Kokomlemle in Accra, Gemann had his basic education in different parts of the country because both parents were teachers and they travelled extensively.
He went to West Africa Secondary School and indicated that the late Ola Williams was his classmate.
He continued his secondary education at the Tema Secondary School and left for the UK while in Form 3 to pursue his entertainment career in 1982.
“As a kid I was already in show business. I was dancing and performing at parties,” he recalled.
Prior to leaving for the UK, Gemann who was well- noted for his dancing skills, had won the national dance championship from 1980 to 1982.
While in the UK, he did the Michael Jackson look-like show by dancing and performing to Michael Jackson’s songs which took him to many places around the world such as Finland, Denmark and Sweden.
He released Highlife in G Major in 1987; Hiphop the Jungle in 1989, Danzing Mann in 1992 and a gospel album God is Love in 2003 while in prison.
When he returned from the UK to Ghana in 1992, Gemann set up a recording and production company, Gemann Productions, and a studio known as Studio G and at the time, he had about 35 young men and women he was training in music and dance.
In 1994, he was the side attraction for the Miss Ghana pageant and he travelled with the team to all the 10 regions.
According to Gemann, he was three days away from completing a musical movie when the shooting incident happened.
Great lessons
“If I knew the Lord then, what happened on January 9, 1995, would not have happened. God’s word has made me more patient.”
Asked if he misses the old days he said “No. Now the joy of the Lord is my strength. The ministration gives me so much joy.
Some people have accepted me but some still doubt that I have changed. What is happening to me is real. I have chosen to do God’s work because I know what He has done for me.”
He advised the youth “to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteoness and all other things shall be added to them.”
He said parents should be concerned about their children and help them to know Christ properly and not only taking them (children) to church on Sundays.
He noted that most of the youth are leading hypocritical lives as such it was necessary for them to have a firm foundation in Christ to prevent the ‘sakawa’ generation which is rearing its head of late.
Future plans
Gemann believes the future is very bright and he has plans of opening up more branches of his ministry. “Bigger things start with humble beginnings’, he said.
He said at the moment he is “single and unattached” but hopes to marry sometime.
Psalm 116 is very dear to Gemann’s heart and he says “this scripture sums up my life.”
By Rebecca Kwei
From Fame to Shame, From Disgrace to Grace is the title of his book which will be out soon and perhaps the title clearly speaks about his life.
Nana Kwasi Agyemang popularly known as Gemann who shot to fame in the early 1980s but had to spend 14 years in prison for murder, says he has come a long way but very grateful to God for His love.
“I am doing very well by God’s grace. In fact I’m doing extremely well,” was what he said when The Mirror caught up with him at his office at Adabraka, a suburb of Accra, to find out how he was coping with life after prison.
New life
Now a pastor, Gemann celebrated his 46th birthday on Tuesday, May 19. He now sports a new-look an afro (Gemann used to have long wet curls) and is involved in a number of Christian activities.
He has started a church, New Life Christian Love Fellowship which operates at the O’reilly Secondary School at Adabraka. The church has about 35 members.
He said being a pastor was a vision the Lord gave him while he was in prison.
“I had wanted to become a preacher even before I went to prison. As a kid I always played the role of a pastor which earned me the name Osofo,” he recalled.
He explained that his intention then was to be rich and succeed in the entertainment industry before taking up pastoral duties so people would not think he went into it because of the money .
“But God had His own plans and it happened that I had to go through the training inside prison,” he said.
The New Life Christian Love Fellowship started while he was in prison. He says aside the church having a branch in Accra, there are three branches: one each in the Condemned Cell and the main yard at Nsawam Prison and one at Ankaful Prison Annex.
Gemann now also has permit to visit all police cells in the country to preach and educate on life and crime.
He said he had visited some police cells in Accra and Tema and was happy that anytime he visited a police cell, not less than five people gave their lives to Christ after hearing him.
“I believe God has preserved my life so that I may be light unto those who are still in darkness,” he noted.
Suspects in police cells, he indicated, related better to him because they knew he had gone through a similar situation.
Gemann has not shirked his love for the entertainment industry and has also started a Christian multi-media entertainment company called Godsbiz (God’s Business) that deals in gospel music, video production and artiste management.
According to him he has also developed a radio programme, Talent from the Biblical Perspective which airs on Channel R, where he tries to help the youth identify and develop their talent by bringing in guests who have made it in life to share their experiences.
He said he was developing a television version of the programme which will hit the screens soon.
On Wednesdays and Fridays, he is a panelist on the entertainment review programme, 205, on the same station where he brings his Christian perspective to bear on entertainment matters.
Despite having so much going for him already, Gemann, revealed that he is recording a new gospel album which he calls 14. The title represents the number of years he spent in prison. He said the album will probably have 14 tracks on it as well.
Gemann said he was also a motivational speaker since he got a lot of invitations from other churches to come and share his testimony.
January 9, 1995
January 9, 1995 was the day Gemann’s life changed. Although he was not too willing to be retrospect since the story had been told over and over again, he did summarise what happened that day.
According to Gemann, a lady friend called Nada had boarded a taxi to come and visit him at his then residence at Dome CFC.
He said apparently, Nada who did not have money on her to pay, had also not come to an agreement over the fare with the driver.
Thus when Nada got to his place and he decided to pay, there was a disagreement over the fare and the taxi driver left without taking any money.
He said the taxi driver came back an hour later, parked his car about 500 metres away from his (Gemann’s) house and then came to the house to collect sand into a plastic bag.
He said when he enquired what he (taxi driver) was going to do with the sand, he replied that he would kill each and every one in the house.
“This led to a heated argument and as a result, I fired a warning shot to calm the situation but this rather infuriated him (taxi driver),” he narrated.
According to Gemann, in the course of bringing the taxi driver back to the house from where he (taxi driver) had parked his car to reverse whatever curse he might have done, there was a struggle and the pistol went off killing the taxi driver.
“What happened was purely an accident. I was a novice at handling such weapons and because I had fired a warning shot earlier, the pistol went off easily, he said with sadness in his voice.
I felt terrible, devastated and broken. I immediately went to the police station to report myself.
Gemann was later sentenced to death by hanging on January 9, 1995. He was granted presidential pardon and coincidentally released from prison on January 9, 2009. He believes the dates are not a coincidence but a miracle.
Turning point
According to Gemann he was a Christian but did not have a personal relationship and commitment with Christ.
“But when the incident happened, I knew at that moment that the only person who could save me was Jesus and I made a personal commitment to Him that very day,” he recalled.
Asked why he had bought a pistol, Gemann said when he moved to his then residence, he was told that the area was armed robbery-prone so he bought the pistol for protection against armed robbers.
“But in the end I slept with armed robbers in the same prison. Now I know it is God who protects and not pistols,” he stated.
Good things
One good thing, Gemann notes, is that he is at peace with the family of the taxi driver, Kwasi Agyei, whom he accidentally killed.
“The good thing is that the family of the late Kwasi Agyei wrote a petition to former President J. A. Kufuor for my release”.
Quoting Proverbs 16:7 — When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him (King James Version) to support, he said: “I prayed to God always to heal the wounds I had created and God touched their hearts.”
He said when he was released from prison, the family of the late Kwasi Agyei received him warmly and he is now part of that family.
He said the late Agyei had a daughter who is 14 years now and is almost like a daughter to him. He promises to take full responsibility of her at the appropriate time.
Unfortunately, Nada died two years ago.
Family ties
Gemann said he was grateful to his family and many others for their support without whom he would not have survived in prison.
Gemann has three siblings; his older brother is also a pastor, while his other brother is in the United Kingdom and his little sister is in the United States.
His father, Amoo Agyemang passed on six years ago and he now lives with his 76-year-old mother, Augusta Asiedu Agyemang at Teshie Nungua, a suburb of Accra.
Gemann has a daughter, Tremina Gemann, who is 18 and lives in Holland.
“Tremina was only three years old when I went to prison and obviously a difficult time for her growing up. But the good thing is that now I can talk to her anytime I want,” he said.
Early life
Born at Kokomlemle in Accra, Gemann had his basic education in different parts of the country because both parents were teachers and they travelled extensively.
He went to West Africa Secondary School and indicated that the late Ola Williams was his classmate.
He continued his secondary education at the Tema Secondary School and left for the UK while in Form 3 to pursue his entertainment career in 1982.
“As a kid I was already in show business. I was dancing and performing at parties,” he recalled.
Prior to leaving for the UK, Gemann who was well- noted for his dancing skills, had won the national dance championship from 1980 to 1982.
While in the UK, he did the Michael Jackson look-like show by dancing and performing to Michael Jackson’s songs which took him to many places around the world such as Finland, Denmark and Sweden.
He released Highlife in G Major in 1987; Hiphop the Jungle in 1989, Danzing Mann in 1992 and a gospel album God is Love in 2003 while in prison.
When he returned from the UK to Ghana in 1992, Gemann set up a recording and production company, Gemann Productions, and a studio known as Studio G and at the time, he had about 35 young men and women he was training in music and dance.
In 1994, he was the side attraction for the Miss Ghana pageant and he travelled with the team to all the 10 regions.
According to Gemann, he was three days away from completing a musical movie when the shooting incident happened.
Great lessons
“If I knew the Lord then, what happened on January 9, 1995, would not have happened. God’s word has made me more patient.”
Asked if he misses the old days he said “No. Now the joy of the Lord is my strength. The ministration gives me so much joy.
Some people have accepted me but some still doubt that I have changed. What is happening to me is real. I have chosen to do God’s work because I know what He has done for me.”
He advised the youth “to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteoness and all other things shall be added to them.”
He said parents should be concerned about their children and help them to know Christ properly and not only taking them (children) to church on Sundays.
He noted that most of the youth are leading hypocritical lives as such it was necessary for them to have a firm foundation in Christ to prevent the ‘sakawa’ generation which is rearing its head of late.
Future plans
Gemann believes the future is very bright and he has plans of opening up more branches of his ministry. “Bigger things start with humble beginnings’, he said.
He said at the moment he is “single and unattached” but hopes to marry sometime.
Psalm 116 is very dear to Gemann’s heart and he says “this scripture sums up my life.”
Monday, May 18, 2009
Esther Cobbah — CEO of Stratcomm Africa tells her story
Saturday, May 16, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 3)
By Rebecca Kwei
Very early in life, she knew she wanted to be in the communication industry because she believed communication was a tool that could be used effectively for national development.
For more than the two decades that she has been in communications with various organisations, Ms Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, CEO of Stratcomm Africa, a communications and public relations outfit, proudly says she has no regrets choosing that field, a profession she handles effortlessly and with passion. In fact communicating effectively comes to her naturally.
Strategic Communications Africa Limited or Stratcomm Africa, which Ms Cobbah founded, celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.
Speaking with The Mirror in a relaxed atmosphere at her office at Asylum Down, a suburb of Accra, Ms Cobbah said her basic education saw her through various schools such as Queen Elizabeth School at Komenda, Ekuasi Methodist Primary at Sekondi and then the Komenda L A Primary School because her father, William Edward Cobbah, a postmaster, was posted to various towns.
Mmofraturo School in Kumasi was her next destination from 1967 to 1969 before she went to Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast in 1969.
“I enjoyed my time at Mmofraturo and Wesley Girls and what I learnt there has impacted positively in my life,” she said.
She reminisces that while in Form One in Wesley Girls, she started the Evangels, a singing group comprising students from Wesley Girls and Adisadel College, and then another, Noise of Joy, comprising Wesley Girls and Mfanstipim students, and these groups later combined to become Joyful Way Singers now Joyful Way Incorporated.
Again in Sixth Form in Wesley Girls she was selected to be the Senior Prefect and she says “being selected by your peers is something to be proud of and as SP I tried to deepen relationship with students to understand them better but I was quite strict”.
Throughout the interview, Ms Cobbah spoke fondly of her late mum, Victoria Cobbah, who she described as very enterprising, remarkable and very generous.
“I was very close to my mum and I learnt a lot from her and grew up loving her deeply,” she said.
After Wesley Girls, Ms Cobbah entered the University of Ghana, Legon where she studied English, Religions and History and did a combined major in English and Religions. She did her national service at the Presec School where she taught Religious Studies.
Her burning desire to do communications saw her going back to the School of Communications for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism and Communication.
“I believe communication can be used to promote mutual understanding. Without understanding, we cannot live in harmony and influence the things people do,” she stated.
Fortunately, after graduating from the School of Communications, she was recommended by the late Prof. P. A. V. Ansah to the United States Information Service (USIS) to do her internship.
“Being at the USIS contributed immensely to my professional development. It was a holistic experience for me. I developed my photojournalism skills; I take pictures, go to the dark room to develop them, did media monitoring and wrote articles among others,” she narrated.
Due to the good work she did with the USIS, she was asked to stay for six months instead of the six weeks’ attachment.
Ms Cobbah got employment as the Public Relations Officer of the then Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC) after her internship with the USIS where she continued to hone her communication skills from 1982 to 1984.
At GIHOC, Ms Cobbah’s experience together with the general environment in Ghana at the time apart from strengthening her convictions about using communication to achieve national development goals also fuelled the awareness of her need to further her education and expertise.
While at USIS, she had researched for universities and she later applied to the Cornell University in the USA and gained admission but without financial aid.
She, therefore, applied for a Rotary Foundation Scholarship and then went for an interview but did not hear from them again.
Weeks turned into months and there was no sign of her getting funds for her education until out of the blue an American benefactor she met while working with the USIS decided to fund her trip to the US, as well as her first year at Cornell University. Luck came her way again as she was later awarded the Rotary Foundation Scholarship she had applied for.
At Cornell she specialised in Public Relations, Communications for Developing Countries and Intercultural Communication, Extension Education as well as Organisational Communication.
She described her time at Cornell as a wonderful learning experience because “it was evident I was acquiring real world knowledge and skills”.
Ms Cobbah returned to Ghana in 1988 and was invited to work with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), which had no public relations department and she set up that unit from scratch.
This afforded her a brilliant opportunity to implement and practise all she had studied about organisational and intercultural communication. She rose through the ranks to later head the public relations department.
Some of the high points while at GNPC were the opportunities to set up a workable internal communication system that worked for both engineering and non-engineering staff of the company in a developing environment.
When in 1991, the government decided to promote Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) beyond urban areas, Ms Cobbah developed LPG variants of the local mud stove, the ‘Chorkor’ smoker, and the pito stove after a survey among the target audience.
“The then management of GNPC was happy with the work I did with the LPG and the stoves and this culminated in the setting up of a subsidiary known as Energy Products. Today, the stoves are all over town,” she said with appreciation in her voice.
Additionally, she was responsible for co-ordinating the then GNPC annual international Oil and Gas Africa Conferences in Ghana, a responsibility that gave her invaluable experience.
As she expertly handled this conferences and other duties, her good works were noticed and in 1999 to 2001 she was seconded as the first External Public Affairs Manager for the West African Gas Pipeline Project (WAGPP). The WAGPP was promoted by a consortium of Shell, Chevron, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, GNPC and the national gas companies of Togo and Benin.
Here again, she set up the public affairs office from scratch, working in a cross-cultural and multilingual environment.
Ms Cobbah became the Chief Executive Officer of Stratcomm Africa in 2001. She is also a director of the Centre for Development and Intercultural Communication (CEDIC), a non-governmental organisation, and has led the establishment of a network of youth drama troupes involved in community participatory theatre, an initiative she began with young people from impoverished communities.
As the Chief Executive of Stratcomm Africa, Ms Cobbah has led the team to develop and implement comprehensive communication strategies for various organisations. She has also evolved several approaches for using communication to achieve organisational harmony and effectiveness.
Stratcomm has “Work to the glory of God” as one of its cardinal principles and it is no wonder it won the Christian Company of the Year for 2008.
As Stratcomm Africa celebrates 15 years on the theme: “Raising the bar in the Communication Industry”, she says “there is the need to raise the standards of communication in the country by combining the science and art of communication to get to the higher levels where other countries have reached and beyond”.
“We in the industry also need to challenge ourselves by raising our professionalism and working with integrity and in an honest manner and not cut corners.”
Ms Cobbah said she was grateful to God, colleagues, employees, friends and family and all who had contributed to the success of Stratcomm.
“Everyone can make it. You just have to look at the opportunities around you and grab it. Look at what is in your hands and work with it. Don’t dwell on situations that come your way which are not pleasant but tell yourself ‘this too shall pass’,” she admonished.
She loves singing, gardening, playing with children and working with the youth. She is married to Tsatsu Tsikata, a man she describes as a “wonderful and supportive husband” and they have two children, Kwame and Kofi.
By Rebecca Kwei
Very early in life, she knew she wanted to be in the communication industry because she believed communication was a tool that could be used effectively for national development.
For more than the two decades that she has been in communications with various organisations, Ms Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, CEO of Stratcomm Africa, a communications and public relations outfit, proudly says she has no regrets choosing that field, a profession she handles effortlessly and with passion. In fact communicating effectively comes to her naturally.
Strategic Communications Africa Limited or Stratcomm Africa, which Ms Cobbah founded, celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.
Speaking with The Mirror in a relaxed atmosphere at her office at Asylum Down, a suburb of Accra, Ms Cobbah said her basic education saw her through various schools such as Queen Elizabeth School at Komenda, Ekuasi Methodist Primary at Sekondi and then the Komenda L A Primary School because her father, William Edward Cobbah, a postmaster, was posted to various towns.
Mmofraturo School in Kumasi was her next destination from 1967 to 1969 before she went to Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast in 1969.
“I enjoyed my time at Mmofraturo and Wesley Girls and what I learnt there has impacted positively in my life,” she said.
She reminisces that while in Form One in Wesley Girls, she started the Evangels, a singing group comprising students from Wesley Girls and Adisadel College, and then another, Noise of Joy, comprising Wesley Girls and Mfanstipim students, and these groups later combined to become Joyful Way Singers now Joyful Way Incorporated.
Again in Sixth Form in Wesley Girls she was selected to be the Senior Prefect and she says “being selected by your peers is something to be proud of and as SP I tried to deepen relationship with students to understand them better but I was quite strict”.
Throughout the interview, Ms Cobbah spoke fondly of her late mum, Victoria Cobbah, who she described as very enterprising, remarkable and very generous.
“I was very close to my mum and I learnt a lot from her and grew up loving her deeply,” she said.
After Wesley Girls, Ms Cobbah entered the University of Ghana, Legon where she studied English, Religions and History and did a combined major in English and Religions. She did her national service at the Presec School where she taught Religious Studies.
Her burning desire to do communications saw her going back to the School of Communications for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism and Communication.
“I believe communication can be used to promote mutual understanding. Without understanding, we cannot live in harmony and influence the things people do,” she stated.
Fortunately, after graduating from the School of Communications, she was recommended by the late Prof. P. A. V. Ansah to the United States Information Service (USIS) to do her internship.
“Being at the USIS contributed immensely to my professional development. It was a holistic experience for me. I developed my photojournalism skills; I take pictures, go to the dark room to develop them, did media monitoring and wrote articles among others,” she narrated.
Due to the good work she did with the USIS, she was asked to stay for six months instead of the six weeks’ attachment.
Ms Cobbah got employment as the Public Relations Officer of the then Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC) after her internship with the USIS where she continued to hone her communication skills from 1982 to 1984.
At GIHOC, Ms Cobbah’s experience together with the general environment in Ghana at the time apart from strengthening her convictions about using communication to achieve national development goals also fuelled the awareness of her need to further her education and expertise.
While at USIS, she had researched for universities and she later applied to the Cornell University in the USA and gained admission but without financial aid.
She, therefore, applied for a Rotary Foundation Scholarship and then went for an interview but did not hear from them again.
Weeks turned into months and there was no sign of her getting funds for her education until out of the blue an American benefactor she met while working with the USIS decided to fund her trip to the US, as well as her first year at Cornell University. Luck came her way again as she was later awarded the Rotary Foundation Scholarship she had applied for.
At Cornell she specialised in Public Relations, Communications for Developing Countries and Intercultural Communication, Extension Education as well as Organisational Communication.
She described her time at Cornell as a wonderful learning experience because “it was evident I was acquiring real world knowledge and skills”.
Ms Cobbah returned to Ghana in 1988 and was invited to work with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), which had no public relations department and she set up that unit from scratch.
This afforded her a brilliant opportunity to implement and practise all she had studied about organisational and intercultural communication. She rose through the ranks to later head the public relations department.
Some of the high points while at GNPC were the opportunities to set up a workable internal communication system that worked for both engineering and non-engineering staff of the company in a developing environment.
When in 1991, the government decided to promote Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) beyond urban areas, Ms Cobbah developed LPG variants of the local mud stove, the ‘Chorkor’ smoker, and the pito stove after a survey among the target audience.
“The then management of GNPC was happy with the work I did with the LPG and the stoves and this culminated in the setting up of a subsidiary known as Energy Products. Today, the stoves are all over town,” she said with appreciation in her voice.
Additionally, she was responsible for co-ordinating the then GNPC annual international Oil and Gas Africa Conferences in Ghana, a responsibility that gave her invaluable experience.
As she expertly handled this conferences and other duties, her good works were noticed and in 1999 to 2001 she was seconded as the first External Public Affairs Manager for the West African Gas Pipeline Project (WAGPP). The WAGPP was promoted by a consortium of Shell, Chevron, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, GNPC and the national gas companies of Togo and Benin.
Here again, she set up the public affairs office from scratch, working in a cross-cultural and multilingual environment.
Ms Cobbah became the Chief Executive Officer of Stratcomm Africa in 2001. She is also a director of the Centre for Development and Intercultural Communication (CEDIC), a non-governmental organisation, and has led the establishment of a network of youth drama troupes involved in community participatory theatre, an initiative she began with young people from impoverished communities.
As the Chief Executive of Stratcomm Africa, Ms Cobbah has led the team to develop and implement comprehensive communication strategies for various organisations. She has also evolved several approaches for using communication to achieve organisational harmony and effectiveness.
Stratcomm has “Work to the glory of God” as one of its cardinal principles and it is no wonder it won the Christian Company of the Year for 2008.
As Stratcomm Africa celebrates 15 years on the theme: “Raising the bar in the Communication Industry”, she says “there is the need to raise the standards of communication in the country by combining the science and art of communication to get to the higher levels where other countries have reached and beyond”.
“We in the industry also need to challenge ourselves by raising our professionalism and working with integrity and in an honest manner and not cut corners.”
Ms Cobbah said she was grateful to God, colleagues, employees, friends and family and all who had contributed to the success of Stratcomm.
“Everyone can make it. You just have to look at the opportunities around you and grab it. Look at what is in your hands and work with it. Don’t dwell on situations that come your way which are not pleasant but tell yourself ‘this too shall pass’,” she admonished.
She loves singing, gardening, playing with children and working with the youth. She is married to Tsatsu Tsikata, a man she describes as a “wonderful and supportive husband” and they have two children, Kwame and Kofi.
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