Hot!
Mrs Gifty Oware-Mensah, impacting lives of young people through football
Mrs Oware-Menssah and husband
Prior to becoming an Executive Committee (ExCo) member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in 2023, Mrs Gifty Oware-Mensah had gained popularity for her exploits with one of Ghana’s established female football teams, Berry Ladies.
The 38-year-old took young orphan girls and some talented street children to build her team while providing them decent livelihoods as a way of giving back to society.
Mrs Oware-Mensah has since impacted the lives of hundreds of young people through football and many others through her work with the National Service Secretariat (NSS) as the Deputy Executive Director since 2017.
The astute politician, business mogul and administrator is passionate about the development of young people especially girls, ensuring that they had a decent living and contribute their quota to national development.
Mrs Oware-Mensah after engaging in business and politics most of her life decided to get into football administration in 2019. She, however, had interest in sports as she played football, hockey and badminton during her school days.
Prior to that, she had collaborated with the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) to organise the Sammy Kufuor Testimonial Cup in 2011 as a marketing person; that was the first time she got closer with ‘football people.’
Fast-forward, she became Co-owner of Halifax Ladies Football Club and bought shares in Berekum Chelsea to mark a major step into football administration.
In 2021, Mrs Oware-Mensah thought she could do more with women football by becoming an ExCo member and for the first time in the history of Ghana football, she went through unopposed with 20/20 endorsement in 2023.
During her tenure, the Black Queens qualified for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) for the first time in six years with the Black Maidens also qualifying for the 2024 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Costa Rica.
She is also looking forward to the Black Queen’s qualification to the Olympic Games for the first time.
BUSINESS AND GOVERNANCE
In 2009 she ventured into business and governance by setting up Berry Events Company and Multimedia Company to promote young people in entertainment.
She entered into politics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) as a Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) girl in 2004 since she always loved the ideology of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In 2012, she started working within the NPP structure and in 2014 contested the National Youth Organiser as the first woman to contest the position and though she lost, she still worked with the party.
Mrs Oware-Mensah also worked at the Danquah Institute and rose from being a Researcher to Head of Research until the NPP came to power in 2016. In 2017 and at age 29, she was appointed the Deputy Director at the NSS a position she holds till date.
While at the NSS, Mrs Oware-Mensah ensured several innovations such as digitizing the system where people spent less time at the registration centres. She also brought up the inclusion desk that supports the welfare of women and vulnerable persons.
PHILANTHROPY
Mrs Oware-Mensah runs a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) called Berry Empowerment which among other things organises the Afia Oware Women Summit which empowers young people.
She is naturally a philanthropist and gives to people from across the country. Aside Berry Ladies, she has shares in Kumasi Sports Academy and other teams to serve as livelihoods to young ones in football.
Mrs Oware-Mensah supported Kurt Okraku to be elected as President of the GFA as well as assisting all the female national teams in various capacities.
HOBBIES
She loves writing and is also a poet. She is currently working on her memoir to be published when she clocks 40 (in two years).
EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND
Mrs Oware-Mensah is the first daughter of three siblings and comes from Koforidua in the Eastern Region. She started school at St. Mary’s(basic education) and went to Victory International School before attending the Ghana Secondary School in 2001 where she read General Arts.
She went to KNUST in 2010 for her first degree in History. She also has Masters (MA) in Defence and International Politics, MA in Public Administration also from KNUST, Post Graduate Diploma from the University of South Africa on Management of Democratic Elections and MA from the University of Birmingham in Policy and Development Planning. Currently, she is a Historical Studies PhD candidate at KNUST.
She is married to a Lawyer, Peter Mensah and has a child. She is a devoted Christian with the Assemblies of God (Cedar Mountain) church.
By Michael D. Abayateye
The Ghana Tourism Development Company Limited (GTD) in collaboration with the Department of Organisation and Human Resource Management, University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) has marked the 2026 World Safety Day Celebration in Accra.
The event held on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at the Cedi Conference Centre, Legon was under the theme “Good Psychosocial Working Environment: A Pathway to Thriving Workers and Strong Organizations.”
The day is observed globally to promote safe and healthy working conditions and to raise awareness about both physical and psychological risks at the workplace.
The event formed part of efforts by stakeholders to deepen national conversations on workplace safety, particularly the growing concern about psychosocial well being.
In his keynote address, the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo stressed that workers must not be treated as machines but as human beings with dignity, rights and families.
He explained that unsafe work environments marked by fear, harassment, intimidation and excessive pressure reduce productivity and weaken organisations.
He noted that although physical hazards such as faulty equipment and unsafe buildings remain a concern, psychological risks including excessive workload, bullying, job insecurity and toxic communication are equally dangerous and must be addressed.
According to him, psychological hazards are real, measurable and preventable, and should be treated with the same urgency as physical risks.
He maintained that safe and healthy working conditions are not a luxury but a fundamental right that supports productivity and social justice.
Dr Pelpuo further stated that the government remains committed to strengthening occupational safety and health systems, adding that worker wellbeing is a core responsibility of leadership and not a public relations issue.
He urged employers to create environments where dignity is protected, and workers are empowered to speak without fear.
The Dean of University of Ghana Business School, Prof Ernest Y Tweneboah Koduah noted that the school is committed to shaping a better world of work that is equitable, productive and sustainable.
He announced that the school has secured accreditation from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to introduce a programme in organisational health and safety.
He explained that gaps in workplace safety in Ghana are linked to weak enforcement, underreporting and limited professional training.
He added that the new programme will equip graduates with the skills to prioritise employee wellbeing as a key organisational responsibility.
Prof Tweneboah Koduah urged organisations to assess psychosocial risks, invest in human resource capacity and create environments where workers can openly discuss mental health concerns.
He emphasised that collaboration between academia and industry is essential to addressing workplace safety challenges.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar of the University of Ghana, Emelia Naa Kwantsua Agyei Mensah described the event as historic, noting that it is the first time the university is marking the global observance.
She explained that the focus on psychosocial wellbeing reflects current realities in the world of work.
She stated that employee health, including mental and emotional wellbeing, directly affects productivity, morale and institutional performance.
Mrs Agyei Mensah added that the university is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for staff and students, beyond minimum legal requirements.
She called on leaders to reflect on the kind of workplaces they create and to prioritise the wellbeing of employees.
CEO of the GTDC, Prof Kobby on his part noted that its participation aligns with its commitment under the Riyadh Declaration, which calls on member states to improve infrastructure and public safety, as well as enhance services, transport, connectivity and accessibility.
He indicated that the company intends to use the platform to highlight Ghana’s readiness to implement the declaration, with a strong focus on worker safety and wellbeing as a foundation for sustainable tourism development.
The event brought together policymakers, academics, industry players and students to discuss strategies for improving workplace safety and promoting healthier work environments across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ghana Armed Forces has confirmed that an escort convoy protecting civilians was attacked in Binduri in the Upper East Region, leaving three people dead.
In a press release issued on April 27, 2026, the military said the convoy, which was escorting about 140 civilians from Bawku to Bolgatanga, came under gunfire from unknown attackers.
It said the attackers shot at the convoy several times, killing three of the civilians being escorted and injuring one other person.
According to the statement, soldiers returned fire and were able to repel the attack. In the process, seven of the assailants were killed.
The military added that during a follow-up operation, weapons and ammunition were retrieved from a suspect who had taken refuge in a mosque.
The items included a G3 rifle, two loaded magazines, and additional rounds of ammunition.
It said ten other suspects have been arrested and are assisting with investigations.
The Ghana Armed Forces cautioned the public against engaging the military or any security agency during operations.
It extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished the injured person a speedy recovery.
By: Jacob Aggrey
