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Asanteman Association of Washington DC metro enstools new chief
Mr. Frank Acheampong, a Washington DC-based business magnate, was last Saturday, enstooled as the Asantefuohene of Washington, DC Metro Area under the stool name Barima Owoahene Owusu Acheampong.
There was a colourful display of Asante Culture with Asante Chiefs from various parts of the United States in attendance.
Barima Owusu Acheampong takes over from Nana Nyarko Ampem Darko who completed his term as the Asantefuohene of Washington DC Metro Area.
The new chief and his team of traditional leaders swore the oath of allegiance before the Council of Elders of the Asanteman Association of Washington Metro Area.
The ‘Omanhene of Virginia’ welcoming
the Ambassador to the eventThe Asantefuohene (left) and Asantefuohemaa
(2nd left) of Denver at the event to supportNananom at the event 
Ambassador Alima Mahama
dancing to traditional kete drums
The members of the Council of Elders present were Nana Nyarko Ampem Darko (the immediate past Asantefuohene), Abusuapanin Frank Fofie, Otafrebuo Agyenim Boateng Pedie I (the Bogyawehene & Amoafo Akwamuhene, who once served as Asantefuohene for 12 years), Nana Owusu Kwandahor (Amoafo Manwerehene), Nana Baffuor Awuah, Nana Kwasi Mensah, Mr. Kwasi Agyeman, Nana Serwaa Brakatu and Nana Afia Buor.
Clad in traditional black cloth (kuntunkuni), as per Asante tradition, all the new traditional leaders were introduced to the Council of Elders and other traditional leaders in the community including Nana Obuor Gyau (Adumhene of Bechem Traditional Area) and Nana Tentia Kwaasi (Kokofu Nkagyaamuhene).
Nana Adusi Pokuaa the Asantefuohemaa (Queen) of the Washington DC Metro Area selected Nana Owusu Acheampong as the successor to Nana Nyarko Ampem Darko before he was introduced to the leaders of Asanteman Association of Washington DC Metro Area and accepted to lead the Association as Asantefuohene.
Nana Yaw Amankwah Pam would serve as his Kontihene with Nana Kwadwo Afriyie Agyemang as Gyasehene, Nana Kosuaa Asantewaa Kontomene as Kontihemaa and Nana Yaa Yeboah as Gyasehemaa.
The Ghana Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Alima Mahama (Hajia) graced the occasion with some members of staff of the Embassy of Ghana in the persons of Ninette Danquah Ivo, Cynthia Djokoto, Janet Maku Koranteng and Karim Kudayah. Also with the entourage was Mr. Mohammed Idris, a respected community leader in the Washington, DC Metro Area.
In his welcome address, Mr. Golash Opoku-Akyeampong Adadey, the President of Asanteman Association for the past seven years, expressed his appreciation to Otumfuo Osei-Tutu, the Asantehene, for giving them the privilege and opportunity to exercise the first step process to project the traditions and culture of Asanteman in the diaspora.
He appreciated the members of the Association for standing with him through his tenure and supporting many health and education initiatives and development projects in Asanteman.
President Golash Adadey said that the Association had resolved to honour Her Excellency Alima Mahama (Hajia) as a life Patron of the Asanteman Association of Washington DC Metro Area for her untiring efforts in reaching out to Ghanaians since she assumed office.
Ambassador Hajia Alima Mahama in her speech admonished the Ghanaian Community to unite to make a meaningful impact in their various communities and urged them to take advantage of investment opportunities in Ghana.
She further advised Ghanaians in the diaspora to support the building of the National Cathedral in Ghana for Ghana to have a befitting monument where national events could be held rather than the forecourt of the State House or Independence Square.
Ambassador Alima Mahama asked Ghanaians in the United States to register with the Embassy in Washington DC to enable them to be recognised and given the needed support.
Benita Biney, the 12-year-old traditional dance prodigy, entertained the gathering with her traditional dancing skills which swept the Ambassador and her staff off their feet to join.
After the traditional swearing-in ceremony, the newly enstooled traditional leaders changed their clothing from Black “kuntukuni” to black and white to signify celebration and the dawn of a new era.
Ambassador Alima presented $500 and assorted drinks as a token to the Asanteman Association. The presentation was made on her behalf by George Kwasi Bright.
The Asanteman Association will in due course seek the blessing and permission of Otumfuo, the Asante King for Nana Owusu Acheampong to swear the final oath of allegiance to one of Otumfuo’s paramount chiefs at a high-level traditional ceremony.
From George Kwasi Bright, Washington DC, USA
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) successfully held its sixth (6th) Exchange Programme, hosted by the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) Bank in Accra from March 22 to 23 March.
The event brought together member institutions, partner organisations and Ghanaian public entities to advance dialogue on South-South trade, investment and development finance, while also creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and institutional cooperation.
Organised as a capacity-building and networking platform, the 2026 edition of the G-NEXID Exchange focused on GEXIM’s experience in developing innovative solutions to promote intra-African and extra-African trade.
It also highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader national development initiatives.
The Exchange Programme forms part of G-NEXID’s mandate to foster cooperation among export-import banks and development finance institutions in support of South-South trade and investment.
This 6th edition follows earlier successful programmes hosted by India Exim Bank (2016), BNDES (2017), Indonesia Eximbank (2018), Afreximbank (2019) and Saudi EXIM Bank (2025).
On the first day, participants were presented with G-NEXID institutional information and received an update on the Network’s 2026 work programme.
There were a series of substantive presentations, including an overview of the Ghanaian economy by the Ministry of Finance, with particular attention to debt-related challenges; a presentation by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on investment opportunities in the country; and institutional presentations by GEXIM and Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on their respective mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Discussions during the sessions underscored strong interest in sector-focused webinars and business dialogues, particularly in agribusiness value chains such as poultry and rice.
Participants also emphasized the importance of continued information exchange and the sharing of best practices, especially in the area of guarantees.
The second day opened with a presentation on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a national economic transformation strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025.
The initiative aims to enhance economic productivity through continuous industrial activity, accelerated export development and strategic import substitution.
As the programme is expected to mobilise both private and development capital, it presents concrete opportunities for G-NEXID members in areas such as co-financing, guarantees, trade finance and technical cooperation.
The programme also featured institutional presentations by guest organisations, namely the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund (FAGACE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which shared their mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Following these exchanges, the G-NEXID Secretariat held bilateral discussions with both institutions as part of the Network’s ongoing membership drive.
Participants further benefited from a presentation by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), as well as a showcase of GEXIM’s key pipeline projects.
On the margins of the Exchange Programme, G-NEXID members also held their 20th Annual General Assembly Meeting to review progress and discuss strategic priorities.
Following the event, participants joined the GEXIM@10 International Conference, held from March 24-25, 2026 under the theme, “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The conference provided an important platform for exploring how Ghana can strengthen its transition from a primary commodity exporter to a more competitive player in value-added trade and industrial development.
Source – G-NEXID
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, signed five bills including three amendment bills passed by Parliament into law.
They are: Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025; University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Bill, 2025; Ghana Deposit Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Education Regulatory Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
In a brief remark after assenting to the bills, President Mahama explained that the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2026, scraps the Office of Minister of National Security and frees the President’s to appoint any Minister to supervise the security agencies.
He said it also reverses the name of the office of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to the original name, Bureau of National Intelligence, (BNI).
This the President said, addresses the confusion between that security agency and a well-known Ghanaian financial institution, the National Investment Bank.
President Mahama also noted that the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Act, 2026, establishes another University in the Eastern Region, at Bonsu, with three campuses – the main campus at Bonsu in the Eastern Region, with the second campus to be cited at Ohawu in the Oti Region.
The third, the Presdient assed will be located at Acherensua in the Ahafo Region.
Touching on the Amendment to the Growth and Sustainability Levy Act, the President said, “As you’re aware, the act was amended to increase it from 1% to 3%, and so this act reduces it again. That is the levy on mining companies. It reduces it again to 1%, because of the introduction of the sliding scale of royalties.”
He also spoke to the passage of the Government Education Regulatory Bodies Amendment Act, emphasising that amends Act 1023 to grant greater flexibility to private tertiary institutions and the option to Charter.
The Ghana Deposit Protection Amendment Act, the President concluded, is an amendment to an original act that was supposed to guarantee deposits held in commercial banks or financial institutions.
It basically expands protection to include mobile money wallets and other digital platforms, ensuring a wider scope of digital financial assets are secured.
The signing ceremony, was witnessed by the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akrutinga Ayine, Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, a Senior Presidential Advisor and a Special Aide to the President, Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, and the Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
