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Maiden Black Star Fashion Week to highlight Ghana’s National Fashion Platform
Ghana is set to take centre stage in fashion, culture and the creative economy as the maiden Black Star Fashion Week (BSFW) takes off with a two-day national fashion experience designed to discover talent, convene the industry and showcase Ghanaian fashion on a global stage.
Put together by the Presidency-backed Black Star Experience Secretariat led by Rex Owusu Marfo, with support from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and its agencies such as the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and Creative Arts Agency, it is structured across two connected experiences in Accra and Senchi.
The Black Star Fashion Week will move from inteligent industry dialogue and talent discovery to an exciting fashion celebration.
The first day will take place in Accra on November 4 and will centre on the Black Star Fashion Summit.
The Summit will bring together designers, fashion entrepreneurs, creatives, industry leaders, investors, buyers, manufacturers, policymakers, media and other stakeholders for a day of conversations, knowledge exchange, networking and talent development.
The Accra experience will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, fireside conversations, masterclasses, industry presentations and practical workshops covering areas relevant to the growth of Ghana’s fashion industry, including entrepreneurship, branding, digital marketing, textile innovation, manufacturing, fashion finance, export readiness, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, sustainability and intellectual property.
A major component of Day One will be the 16-Region Designer Programme, bringing emerging fashion talent from across the country into one national platform.
Each participating designer will present a creative interpretation of their region, reflecting its identity, culture, heritage, materials, craftsmanship and contemporary design language.
The Accra programme will culminate in the selection of five designers. Out of the five, one will advance to the flagship fashion show at Senchi.
The second day will move to Royal Senchi on November 7, where the Black Star Fashion Show and experience will take place.
Beyond the runway, Senchi will host a Fashion Village, bringing together designer showcases, retail, textiles, artisan experiences, brand activations, beauty, technology, food and beverage, tourism and lifestyle experiences.
The event will also celebrate Ghana’s cultural diversity through music, dance, textiles, craft, food, storytelling, heritage and visual arts, demonstrating the deep connection between fashion and Ghana’s wider cultural ecosystem.
Honours will go out to outstanding contributors to Ghana’s fashion ecosystem, while networking and business engagements will connect designers and creative businesses with buyers, investors, manufacturers, retailers and other industry stakeholders.
Black Star Experience (BSE) is a Government of Ghana inititive for Culture, Arts, Tourism and Creative engagement.
As a national, year-round platform, the Black Star Experience brings together Ghana’s cultural, artistic, tourism and creative offerings to strengthen Ghana’s identity, promote the country as a preferred global destination and position Ghana as a leading cultural and creative capital of Africa.
A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Sammy Ayeh has picked up nomination forms to contest for the position of Deputy National Communications Officer position.
Announcing his intention, Dr. Ayeh said he is offering himself to help communicate the party’s vision clearly and connect its message with the aspirations of Ghanaians.
He expressed deep gratitude to the party’s National Communications Officer, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi, describing him as an able leader on whose shoulders he has risen.
“His exceptional leadership, mentorship and confidence in me have shaped my journey and strengthened my resolve to serve,” Dr. Ayeh stated.
He said if elected, he will seek to build on that foundation by strengthening research-driven communication, empowering grassroots communicators, and enhancing strategic media engagement.
Dr. Ayeh humbly appealed to party members and supporters for their support.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Data Protection Commission has called on the Minority Caucus in Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media houses to protect the personal information of 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the Commission expressed concern over the public disclosure of the evacuees’ personal details, including their names, signatures and records of financial assistance received.
It warned that making such information public could expose the affected individuals to identity theft, fraud and other forms of harm, especially given the threats to their safety that some of them may have faced.
The Commission explained that the 1992 Constitution protects the dignity and privacy of every individual. It also cited the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), which sets out rules for the lawful collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
While acknowledging the importance of transparency, parliamentary oversight, the right to information and press freedom, the Commission stressed that these principles do not automatically justify the unrestricted publication of personal details.
It said the disclosure of the records by the Minority Caucus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media organisations must be assessed based on the law, the purpose of the disclosure and the privacy rights of the individuals involved.
The Commission further noted that although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliament are registered data controllers in good standing, their registration does not exempt them from their legal responsibilities under the Data Protection Act.
It has therefore urged all the parties involved to take appropriate steps to protect the affected individuals, including immediately restricting access to or removing personal details from publicly available records where their continued disclosure is not legally justified.
The Commission announced plans to conduct a regulatory review to determine whether the disclosures had a lawful basis, what safeguards were applied and whether the privacy rights of the evacuees had been adequately protected.
It said it would engage the relevant parties as part of the review and take appropriate regulatory action if any breach of the law is established.
The Commission reiterated that protecting personal information and respecting human dignity must remain central to efforts to promote public accountability.
By: Jacob Aggrey
