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Changing gender roles: Meet ‘Papa Tilapia’ the gentleman ‘competing’ with women in fresh fish business
● Rapheal dress a tilapia
While women are being encouraged to take up responsibilities or professions considered the preserve of men, some men also seem to be making a statement by venturing into businesses which ordinarily would have been tagged as a woman’s job.
Examining how men and women are swapping roles, this reporter caught up with a budding male entrepreneur at Dansoman in Accra who has taken up the sale of fresh tilapia and continues to match women in the business boot-for boot.
JOURNEY
28-year-old Raphael Nanevi Nanavaiaa hails from Ada Foah in the Greater Accra Region and is known in his business circles as “Papa Tilapia.”
He used to help and run errands for his mother who traded at Darkuman-Kokompe market while he was still a student at Ada Senior High Technical School.
After studying Business and completing in 2019, he and his elder sister had to cater for the family after their mother’s business was razed down by fire.
Rapheal and his sister took up the challenge to revive their mother’s business. After an intensive house-to-house advertisement, he decided to run his business at Dansoman.
The journey in the last four years, according to him, had been rewarding yet rugged as he continued to receive both encouraging and disparaging comments from some members of the public.
He said some people considered his consistency and dedication to the business remarkable while others thought he was “wasting his time.”
“A man approached me and told me to use my stature for something better, and that a man like me should not be selling fish. He proposed other businesses which I did not pay attention to.
“Other business owners within the enclave where I operate have tried to sabotage me by asking the area taskforce to kick me out, but I have always handled the situation with tact and humility,” he noted.
He maintained that his calm disposition and prompt delivery continued to attract more customers to the business located at Dansoman-Asoredanho.
PATRONAGE
Apparently, the idea of selling fish did not sit well with his mother who wanted him to rather take up a white-colar job. However, he said, some of his relatives have come to terms with what he currently does to earn a living.
According to Papa Tilapia, sales in 2022 and the early part of this year, has been favourable despite the current economic challenges.
“The demand for food commodities continues to increase. Though customers complain of hike in prices, my prices are relatively lower compared with prices elsewhere.
“I communicate and relate well with my customers so my stand has become the choice for many tilapia lovers in my area.
In spite of the hurdles, Raphael is hopeful that his hustle would produce greater result in future.
“Drivers and other pedestrians encourage me to keep up the spirit and I know with determination and sacrifice, it is possible to derive the best out of this business.
“I know my strength is in business and marketing because I am able to convince customers to patronise my service. This skill of mine has earned me a lot,” he added.
Raphael used to sell sim cards before delving into the tilapia business. He admitted that his “aggressive” marketing strategy sometimes irritated customers but he had to adopt that approach especially when sales were low.
“I would call any driver or pedestrian to alert them I had fresh stock. I remember annoying a woman because I had ‘pestered’ her several times on one of my busy days.”
FUTURE
Papa Tilapia looks at becoming a well-establlished entrepreneur and a farmer in the future. He believes that Ghana has arable lands when utilised judiciously, can help reduce unemployment.
He said with the needed support, he would expand the business and employ people to deliver fresh tilapia to clients at restaurants, offices and hotels.
He advised the youth not to wait for favours but strive harder for their needs, adding that it was important for them to first discover their potentials.
“If you are waiting for someone to give you money, that person is also waiting for gift from someone. If we push harder, others would help,” he said.
By Yunusah Essandoh
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Attorney General charges Chairman Wontumi and two others over alleged GH¢18.7 million Ghana Exim Bank fraud
The Office of the Attorney General has charged Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and two others over the alleged fraudulent acquisition of funds from the Ghana Export-Import Bank for a farming project.
The charges were brought against Chairman Wontumi, Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, who is currently at large, and Wontumi Farms Limited.
According to court documents released by the Attorney General’s office, Chairman Wontumi, identified as the first accused person, allegedly approached the Ghana Exim Bank in January 2018 for financial support to undertake a large-scale farming project.
The prosecution said he applied for a GH¢19 million facility on behalf of Wontumi Farms Limited and claimed that the company had secured a 100,000-acre parcel of land for the proposed farming venture.
The Attorney General alleged that documents submitted together with the application contained false information.
According to the prosecution, one of the documents presented as a board resolution letter was dated January 23, 2018, but referred to a board resolution supposedly passed on December 9, 2017, four days before the company was officially incorporated on December 14, 2017.
The prosecution further stated that the accused persons also submitted a project proposal claiming that 2,500 hectares of the proposed farm would employ about 6,000 families, representing nearly 38,000 individuals.
Court documents indicate that the Ghana Exim Bank later approved an GH¢18.7 million facility made up of loans and grants for the project.
The facility was reportedly intended for the purchase of agricultural machinery, working capital, staff costs and consultancy services.
According to investigators, the bank disbursed more than GH¢14.3 million to the company between January and March 2018.
However, investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office of the Attorney General allegedly found that the proposed farming activities were never carried out.
The prosecution said the accused persons neither purchased the agricultural machinery nor secured the land they claimed to own for the project.
Investigators also alleged that Chairman Wontumi later submitted a document to the bank as proof that the company had purchased agricultural machinery worth GH¢4 million.
However, investigations reportedly established that the document was originally a pro-forma invoice from KAS-SAMA Enterprise and not an actual receipt.
According to the Attorney General’s office, the inscription “Pro-forma Invoice” was allegedly altered and replaced with the word “Receipt” before it was submitted to the bank.
The prosecution further alleged that Chairman Wontumi withdrew large sums from the company’s accounts and used the funds for personal expenses and investments in other businesses.
The Attorney General stated that attempts by the bank to recover the money were unsuccessful.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office reportedly began investigations into the matter in March 2025.
Chairman Wontumi was later arrested, cautioned and officially charged on May 14, 2026.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ministry of Health has assured the public that Ghana has not recorded any suspected or confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease despite recent outbreaks reported in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In a public alert issued on May 18, the Ministry disclosed that confirmed and suspected Ebola cases had recently been recorded in the two African countries, according to updates from the World Health Organization and the Africa CDC.
The Ministry noted that it is working closely with international health partners to strengthen Ghana’s preparedness and response systems across the country.
According to the statement, authorities have activated several precautionary measures, including enhanced surveillance and screening at airports, seaports and land borders.
It added that health officials are also increasing monitoring of travellers arriving from affected countries while health workers are being trained and equipped to identify, isolate and manage suspected cases safely.
The Ministry further disclosed that public health emergency coordination systems and rapid response teams have been activated to respond quickly if necessary.
It indicated that public education and community awareness campaigns have been intensified to keep citizens informed about the disease and preventive measures.
The Ministry explained that Ebola Virus Disease is a severe viral illness spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated materials and surfaces.
It stated that symptoms may include fever, weakness, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, bleeding.
The public has therefore been advised to wash their hands regularly with soap under running water or use alcohol based hand sanitizers.
The Ministry urged Ghanaians to avoid direct contact with bodily fluids of sick persons and to avoid handling dead bodies without proper protection.
Additionally, it cautioned against handling or eating sick or dead wild animals and advised the public to ensure that all meat is properly handled and thoroughly cooked before consumption.
The statement encouraged persons experiencing suspected symptoms to report immediately to the nearest health facility.
The Ministry appealed to the public to avoid spreading misinformation and rely only on official updates from the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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