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Ghana’s Chris Koney to participate in Cool Czechia; Young African Leaders’ Study Tour 2023
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic has selected Ghanaian Marketing Communications professional, Brand, Talent and Stakeholder Relationship Management Specialist, Jonathan Christopher Koney, for the Young African Leaders’ Study Tour in the Czech Republic dubbed COOL CZECHIA 2023.
Known widely as Chris Koney in the African Media and Creative Arts space, he will be joining several thought leaders from across the African continent for the study programme scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 3, 2023 in two Czech cities; Prague and Telč.
The programme will include sessions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, under the supervision of Directors of selected Departments, Office of the President of the Czech Republic, meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of the Czech Republic as well as a tour of the Chamber of Deputies, which has 200 elected members for four years.
The Editor-in-chief of ČRo Plus, Josef Pazderka will be hosting the participants at the Czech Public Radio (ČRo). There will be discussion with prominent figures from the Non-Governmental Organisation world on the Non-profit sector and the role of civil society at People in Need, a Czech non-governmental, non-profit organization active all over the world. In addition, there will be guided tours in both cities; Prague and Telč.
Chris Koney has transitioned from a full-time journalist into a Marketing Communications professional and has rebranded his image to reflect the output of his products. From serving as Media Officer for talent hunt shows to spearheading communications for state funded initiatives, Chris has made tremendous impact in the last 10 years within Africa’s corporate communications space.
Currently, Chris Koney works with Ghana’s leading Policy and Development Bank, the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) as Assistant Manager, Corporate Affairs / International Cooperation and a columnist with the Business and Financial Times Newspaper.
In 2020, Chris was a panellist for the Global Discussion on Emancipation Day organised by the Commonwealth Society of Canada and in 2019, the City of Toronto extolled him for excellence achieved in his fields of endeavour, leadership and devotion to others, which are contributions that serve to strengthen the community.
Chris was selected by the Netherlands and U.S. Governments for the 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in The Hague, during which he participated in a one week Press Visitors Programme for selected media and communications professionals around the world.
He participated in a Turkish Airlines Press Trip to Istanbul in 2018, had first-hand experience of the Turkish Airlines Aviation Academy, and toured the Istanbul Airport before it was opened to flights. Also in 2018, Chris served as a Foreign Observer, monitoring the 2018 Turkish General Election.
In 2017, he was announced as Ghana’s representative for the Environmental Protection & Sustainable Development (Tourism) Programme in Berlin organized by GIZ Berlin and the German Federal Foreign
The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has issued a strong public statement calling for an end to what he describes as continuous attacks on his brand, following an apology from media commentator Awal Mohammed.
In the statement, Shatta Wale acknowledged the apology but stressed that persistent criticism and what he sees as deliberate attempts to damage his image must stop.
He noted that for many years, he has spoken for the streets, the youth, and people who feel ignored by society, while also promoting Ghana on the global stage and creating jobs through his work.
He expressed concern that some media personalities, commentators, and influential figures continue to target his name unfairly.
According to him, the issue goes beyond music and touches on respect, fairness, and national maturity.
The musician warned that continued disrespect toward voices that represent ordinary people could have wider consequences.
He emphasised that the Shatta Movement remains strong and organized, and that the patience of the masses should not be taken for granted.
He added that if systems continue to fail the people, they have the ability to organize politically through numbers and truth, not violence or hate.
Shatta Wale clarified that his message was not a threat but a reminder of reality, stressing that attacking a symbol that represents millions of people can have social, cultural, and democratic effects.
He called for respect, fairness, and unity, saying the voice of the people will always rise.
The statement comes after Awal Mohammed recently described Shatta Wale fans during a public discussion as junkies.
The comments triggered backlash from fans of the musician, prompting Awal to later issue an apology.
By: Jacob Aggrey
