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Raphaelina is Miss Teen Tourism Ghana 2023
16-year-old student of Datus International School, Raphaelina Naana Asare has emerged Miss Teen Tourism Ghana 2023, after outwitting other intelligent contestants for the coveted crown.
The event which took place last Saturday, June 24, at the La Palm Royal Hotel saw confident, intelligent, and beautiful young ladies compete for the Miss Teen Tourism Ghana crown.
The winner would lead the other three contestants for the upcoming Miss Teen Tourism World contest, slated to take place from August 1-20, in Ghana.
At the end of the competition, which started with exams, followed by presentations and rounds of questions from a panel of jury, Raphaelina stood tall amongst other contestants.
Petra Ama Agyeiwaa Kumi, claimed the title of Miss Teen Tourism Earth Ghana 2023 as the first runner-up, while Junia Del and Keziah Barnes were awarded the titles of Miss Teen Tourism International Ghana 2023 and Miss Teen Tourism Globe 2023, respectively, as the second and third runners-up.
Ghana is presenting four candidates as team Ghana, who would be flanked by Miss Teen Tourism UK, and Miss Teen Tourism Lebanon both live in Ghana.
Speaking to spectator.com.gh, the brain behind the event, Stacey Amoateng expressed her appreciation to everyone who played a role in making the event a success.
She said the candidates are intelligent, adding that there would be a lot of work in the area of grooming ahead of the contest.
Mrs. Amoateng elaborated on the decision to present more than one candidate, drawing inspiration from South Africa’s strategic approach in the previous edition.
She emphasized the importance of maximizing Ghana’s chances of success by learning from South Africa’s triumph, where they presented multiple candidates and secured multiple titles.
Deputy Head of Corporate Affairs at Ghana Tourism Authority, Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi, also expressed his outfit’s readiness to assist the organisers and contestants to win the ultimate for Ghana.
He was optimistic the quality of the candidates chosen was an assurance Ghana would come out of the contest with something worth celebrating and wished everyone well in their endeavours.
Mrs. Mawuena Trebarh, a communications strategist; Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, a media consultant; Kofi Kakra Kusi, Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority; Kofi Duah, an entertainment journalist with Graphic Showbiz; Giesella, a model and beauty queen; Sefa, a talented musician; and Calista Amoateng, the reigning Miss Teen Tourism World 2022 were the jury for the contest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana Tourism Authority is leading Ghana’s participation at ITB Berlin, which opened in Berlin with a vibrant national pavilion highlighting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, tourism destinations and investment opportunities.
March 5 has been designated as Ghana Day, a special platform to promote Ghana’s languages, cuisine, Kente, festivals and business prospects to the global tourism community. The stand has already drawn strong interest with traditional arts and crafts displays, immersive multimedia presentations and popular Ghanaian snacks.
Seven private-sector players are exhibiting alongside government officials as part of efforts to deepen trade partnerships, expand market access, and attract investment across the hospitality, heritage tourism, ecotourism, and creative arts sectors.
Ahead of the official opening, the Ghana delegation also engaged young Ghanaian investors in Germany in collaboration with V Afrika-Verein and the Ghana Embassy, strengthening diaspora investment linkages and highlighting opportunities within the tourism value chain.
Ghana’s coordinated presence at ITB Berlin 2026 reinforces its strategy to position the country as the Gateway to Africa and a competitive destination for leisure travel and global investment.
The Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh Dompreh, has expressed concern over delays in the release of the District Assemblies Common Fund, warning that the situation is stalling development across the country.
On his facebook page, he described as a matter of urgent national importance, the Minority Chief Whip pointed to what he sees as a growing crisis of unpaid contractors, abandoned projects, and halted infrastructure works in many districts.
He noted that several communities are grappling with half completed schools, unfinished health facilities, abandoned markets, deteriorating roads, and stalled sanitation projects.
According to him, many contractors who have executed projects for district assemblies have not been paid, forcing some construction firms to demobilise from sites while workers lose their jobs.
He stressed that the District Assemblies Common Fund is not a discretionary allocation but a constitutional requirement under Article 252 of the 1992 Constitution, intended to support development at the local level.
In his view, years of delayed releases and accumulated arrears have weakened district development financing and disrupted projects meant to improve living conditions in communities.
He further argued that some payments made in recent years were largely the settlement of old debts rather than funding for new or ongoing projects, a situation he believes has affected contractor confidence and local economic activity.
He described the issue as more than a budgetary challenge, characterising it as a development emergency and a governance concern.
He therefore urged the appropriate authorities to pay outstanding DACF arrears, settle contractors who have completed their work, and ensure that transfers to districts are automatic and predictable.
He maintained that decentralisation can only succeed when district assemblies receive adequate and timely funding to carry out development projects.
He emphasised that stalled projects directly affect ordinary citizens, since they rely on such infrastructure for education, healthcare, transportation, sanitation, and economic activities.
He called for renewed attention to grassroots development, insisting that national progress should not be concentrated only in major cities but extended to all communities.
By: Jacob Aggrey
