Ghana is set to host the highly anticipated third season of the Africa Monologue Challenge (AMC), a landmark event that brings together the continent’s most promising creative talents in a celebration of Pan-African storytelling, cultural exchange, and economic integration.

The season, themed “Using Africa’s Creative Economy to Promote Intra-African Trade,” aligns with Ghana’s growing role as a hub for continental integration and comes as the nation prepares to celebrate President John Dramani Mahama’s assumption of the African Union Chairmanship in 2027.

The Africa Monologue Challenge, which was initiated by MK Casting in partnership with the African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP) and the National Film Authority of Ghana, has quickly become a premier platform for discovering and nurturing African creative talent.

Season 1, held in Ghana, saw an Ugandan emerge as the winner. Season 2, hosted in Uganda under the auspices of the President of Uganda and the Uganda Communications Commission, witnessed an Ivorian finalist, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Francophonie, take the crown.

Though Ivory Coast, through its Ministry, was originally scheduled to host Season 3, the Ministry and the organizers mutually agreed to shift the event to Ghana.

This decision allows the Ivorian finalist to symbolically present the torch to the next winner in Ghana, celebrating Ghana’s upcoming AU chairmanship in 2027 and reinforcing the spirit of continental solidarity that the AMC embodies.

Season 3 of the Africa Monologue Challenge is currently under the auspices of the Diaspora Affairs Office of the President, the National Film Authority of Ghana, the Ghana Tourism Authority, and the Africa Prosperity Network, with support from the Black Star International Film Festival, Creators Festival, Bombo Investments, Platinum Bay Hotel, the International Expat Center, and other valued partners.

The program will bring together 12 finalists from across Africa and the diaspora for a transformative one-month Pan-African House residency in Ghana. Participating countries include Ghana as the host nation, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Botswana, the Republic of Congo, Benin, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, and a representative from the United States diaspora.

During their residency, the finalists will engage in a rich program of activities designed to deepen their understanding of Pan-Africanism, build cross-cultural bonds, and equip them with skills for the creative economy.

Daily sessions exploring the history, philosophy, and contemporary relevance of Pan-Africanism will foster a shared continental identity among the participants, while tours of Ghana’s iconic heritage sites,including the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, and other cultural landmarks will promote Ghana’s tourism offerings and position the finalists as ambassadors for the country’s rich cultural heritage.

Each finalist will also have the opportunity to present their home country to fellow participants and invited guests, showcasing their nation’s culture, tourism potential, and investment opportunities in dedicated country marketing sessions.

Beyond cultural immersion, the residency will feature engagements with renowned Ghanaian entrepreneurs and business leaders, providing practical insights into business development, branding, and the realities of building a creative enterprise.

The finalists will also interact with traditional rulers and cultural custodians to deepen their understanding of African customs, governance systems, and the role of tradition in contemporary African identity, while meetings with members of the diplomatic community in Ghana will offer lessons in international relations, cultural diplomacy, and the strategic use of soft power to advance Africa’s interests on the global stage.

According to the organizers, the residency will culminate in the production of a feature short film, created collaboratively by the finalists and Ghanaian creatives.

The film will be submitted to international festivals as a powerful reflection of Africa’s solidarity and shared creative vision, while also marketing Ghana as the host country and a premier destination for creative collaboration and business investment.

Other key events during the finalists’ month-long stay in Ghana will include the Pan-African Actors Masterclass, facilitated by MK Casting in partnership with the Casting Society of America (CSA) and the International Casting Directors Association (ICDA), as well as the Africa Image Conference, facilitated by the African Chamber of Content Producers(ACCP) and Africa Image Ambassadors.

The AMC Season 3 Grand Finale will be a spectacular showcase of African talent, featuring the 12 finalists competing for the coveted crown.

Beyond the individual winner, the finale will also determine which country will host Season 4 of the Africa Monologue Challenge, continuing the tradition of rotating the event across the continent and strengthening the bonds of creative collaboration between African nations.

The AMC Season 3 committee brings together some of Africa’s most respected figures in the creative industry.

Veteran media personality and Chairman of the ACCP Media and Cultural Sector, Harold Roger Quartey, who is leading efforts to assist the African Union and the President in achieving the objectives that led to the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasized the importance of the AMC.

“The Africa Monologue Challenge discovers talent, tells our stories, and builds the bridges that will make the AfCFTA a reality,” Mr Roger Quartey stated.

Madam Juliet Asante, a committee member and founder of the Black Star International Film Festival, revealed that they are working together to harness Africa’s soft power for the benefit of the continent and its people.

“We are using the creative economy to project a united Africa to the world. The AMC is a reflection of what we can achieve when we work together.”

Other distinguished committee members include Fred Nii Amugi, veteran Ghanaian actor; Caleb Kwaku Afaglo, President of the Chamber of Digital Assets and Blockchain Innovations (CDABI); Dr. Nana Owusu Ensaw, renowned medical practitioner and entrepreneur; Mawuko Kuadzi, CEO of MK Casting and the first African to win the Artios Award in its 40-year history; Myna Otoo, renowned Ghanaian filmmaker and entrepreneur; Peter Ritchie, renowned Ghanaian actor and insurance expert; Nana Kofi Opoku-Agyemang, Director of International Expat Center; Barima Amoaning Samuel, founder and CEO of Entamoty Media Limited; and Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, President of the African Chamber of Content Producers.

The Africa Monologue Challenge has consistently championed the theme of intra-African trade, recognizing the creative economy as a powerful vehicle for economic integration and cultural exchange.

By bringing together creatives from across the continent, the AMC fosters the networks and collaborations that are essential for building a unified African market.

Members of the ACCP across the world have already expressed excitement about the prospects the AMC will unlock for Africa’s creative economy.

The challenge is expected to generate significant economic activity, create opportunities for collaboration, and project a positive image of Africa to the global community.

According to the coalition of Africa Image Ambassadors, AMC Season 3 is a practical step towards building a connected African creative industry.

The challenge is expected to generate new collaborations, showcase African talent to a global audience, and demonstrate the economic potential of the continent’s creative economy and soft power activation.

By: Jacob Aggrey

The Acting Rent Commissioner of Ghana, Mr Frederick Opoku, has directed all hostel operators across the country to suspend any planned rent increases, warning that defaulters would face legal action as the government intensifies enforcement of rent laws.

The directive forms part of a broader campaign by the Rent Control Department to regulate accommodation charges, protect tenants from exploitation and ensure compliance with existing housing regulations.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday, Mr Opoku stated that hostel operators who had issued notices of rent increments after the department’s directive must withdraw them immediately. He added that students and tenants should disregard such notices and report offenders to the Rent Control Department.

Mr Opoku also announced plans to register all landlords nationwide to improve accountability and strengthen the administration of rent-related matters.

He stated that relief had come for tenants, explaining that all hostel rent increases had been halted. He added that any student who received a notice announcing a rent increment after the directive should ignore it and submit a copy to the Rent Control Department for the necessary action.

Mr Opoku further disclosed that the department had collaborated with the Ghana Tourism Authority to monitor and regulate hostel facilities, particularly those operating without the required licences and registration.

He expressed concern about the poor conditions in some student hostels, describing a number of facilities inspected by his team as cubicles rather than suitable accommodation.

According to him, some rooms measuring about 16 feet by eight feet were accommodating up to four occupants under poor ventilation conditions, while charging what he described as excessive fees.

Mr Opoku stated that all landlords would be required to register with the Rent Control Department and obtain unique identification numbers before accessing any of its services.

He explained that landlords who failed to register would not be attended to at any Rent Control office across the country.

He further indicated that the department would begin strict enforcement after six months of public education on the rights and responsibilities of both tenants and landlords.

The Acting Rent Commissioner reiterated that the law prohibits landlords from demanding rent advances exceeding six months and warned that offenders would be prosecuted.

While commending landlords for their role in housing delivery, he urged them to comply with the law and avoid practices that placed undue hardship on tenants.

Mr Opoku assured the public that the department would continue its reform and digitisation agenda to improve service delivery and promote peaceful landlord-tenant relations across the country.

By Eugene Ampiaw