Ghana will host the maiden African Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTACC) from December 9 to 12, following the signing of an agreement between the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the
African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD).

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, announced this today during the Government Accountability Series in Accra.

The festival will be organized through AUDA-NEPAD’s Africa Creatives, Sports and Recreation (ACSAR) Programme.

Madam Gomashie said AFESTACC is designed to become Africa’s premier platform for culture and creativity.

According to her, the key objectives include, celebrating African excellence, showcase the richness and diversity of African arts through music, dance, theatre, film, literature, fashion, gastronomy, beauty, heritage, sports and contemporary creative expressions.

She also noted that it is geared towards building a continental platform, bring together African Union Member States, creatives, policymakers, investors, development partners, academia, the private sector, communities and the African diaspora for collaboration and cultural diplomacy.

Additionally, the Minister further noted that this will position Africa’s cultural and creative economy as a driver of development by promoting investment, tourism, entrepreneurship, innovation, skills development, industrialisation and employment, with focus on youth and women.

“Strengthening Pan-African identity, creating a lasting legacy, establish AFESTACC as a recurring AU platform that celebrates Africa’s cultural wealth while advancing Agenda 2063 through culture-led development,” she noted.

Furthermore, the Minister said the festival is expected to provide opportunities for over 20,000 Ghanaians, particularly those within the tourism, culture and creative arts ecosystem.

She noted that hosting AFESTACC aligns with government’s plan to use culture and the creative arts as tools for jobs, foreign exchange and international visibility.

The Ministry said detailed programming, host venues and participation modalities for Member States will be announced in the coming months.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested two brothers in connection with the murder of a 54-year-old man and the shooting of his wife at Beach Drive Estate, Tuba, near Weija.

The suspects, identified as *Adams Adder Almeida and his brother *Bala Bilyon, were picked up with assistance from the Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team (CVET).

The incident occurred on
August 6, 2026. Police at Weija said they received information that a man and his wife had been shot at Beach Drive Estate and needed urgent assistance.

A police team that responded to the scene found Mohammed Rahman, 54, and his wife Christiana Fosu, 53, with gunshot wounds outside their four-bedroom apartment.

The victims were rushed to *Finney Hospital, Weija. Rahman was pronounced dead on arrival. His wife was later referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where she is currently on admission and responding to treatment.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Police Hospital Mortuary pending autopsy.

During interrogation, suspect
Adams Adder Almeida allegedly admitted to shooting both victims.

He told police he was motivated by claims that the deceased had repeatedly described him as “lazy and useless,” a comment he said affected him mentally.

Adams subsequently led investigators to his brother’s room at Beach Drive Estate, where a pistol believed to have been used in the shooting was retrieved. Police say the weapon was concealed beneath the wall drop of Bala Bilyon’s room.

Investigations established that both brothers live together in the same room at Tuba. Bala Bilyon also works with the deceased, police added.

Adams further told investigators that the pistol was allegedly given to him by a friend named Gideon.

He led police to Gideon’s residence at Tuba, but the third suspect was not found at home. Efforts are ongoing to locate him.

Meanwhile, Bala Bilyon remains in custody and is assisting with interrogation.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme