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Meet Ghana’s Montrealhene in Canada, Oseodeyo Kwateng Amanin
When he stepped on Canadian soils as far back as February 1987, it never crossed his mind that few years later, he was going to lead Ghanaians in that beautiful country – situated at the northern part of North America.
Indeed, for Nana Kwateng Amanin, he had traveled to Canada because of what he described as “its diversity and openness to blacks” – having watched the Summer Olympics staged in Montreal.
“I had watched the Olympic Games and seen that there were many blacks in the team, which made me understand that there were opportunities there. And, when I came, I was gladly surprised because my assumptions were confirmed,” he recalled with nostalgia.
Imbued with a rare sense of discipline, dedication to work and readiness to assist people in need, Ghanaians living in Montreal decided to dash for him to be their chief and leader.
As fate may have it, he was unanimously acclaimed by friends and citizens of Montreal as their chief with the chieftaincy title “Montrealhene.”
“He is one of a kind. He endeared himself to us with his sterling leadership qualities and ever-ready service to the people and so we virtually badgered him into leading us,” Kwame Boateng, who has been living in Canada for the past 17 years, confirmed in an interview with The Spectator.
Montreal is the most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec and the second-most populous city in Canada.
Service
According to the Montrealhene, serving mankind has always come easy “because that is what I love doing best and it gives me a deep inner sense of satisfaction.”
“Let me say that service to man is service to the Lord Almighty. I have volunteered my time since I was young,” Nana Amanin, who doubles as the Abusuapanyin of Sunyani Krontire Abusua, back in Ghana, said.
Oath
On September 7, 2019, Osadeoyo Kwateng Amanin swore the oath of allegiance in public to the Ghanaian Community in Montreal, Quebec, with representatives from the Prime Minister of Canada’s Office in full attendance and other dignitaries from the Kanawake First Nations and City Councillors in Montreal.
It was a grand, scintillating ceremony. And, Nana Amanin was thrilled!
“I thank the Ghanaian community, the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, the city councillors, and specifically Mary Deros, the entire Ghanaian community, the Montreal Traditional Council, the pastors in our community, my family, especially my wife and my two sons. I would not be where I am if it wasn’t for them. God bless Ghana and God bless Canada,” he asserted.
Nana Kwateng Amanin was born at Sunyani in the Bono State to Opanin Kofi Nsowaah, a successful farmer at Sunyani. His mother, Madam Adwoa Serwaah, was also from the same town.
Background
He started his primary school education at High Street Primary, Sunyani, and continued to Twene Amanfo Secondary School at the Sunyani Bono State before moving to Canada to study at the Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario.
Though a chief, Nana Amanin is a respected businessman in Montreal who specialises in retail of beauty products supply and services.
The Montrealhene has been trying hard to promote Ghana to the Canadian society, but the task appears to be a Himalayan undertaking because of the diversity of culture of his people.
“In Ghana, we have many cultures and traditions, which make it quite challenging to unify all the Ghanaians here and make them have a single voice,” he said, but was quick to add that “God is always on my side and so I know I will succeed.”
Oseadeyo Amanin has a lovely wife – Madam Mercy Ama Konadu and blessed with two sons. The first – Kevin Kwateng, is an engineer and the second – Edwin Kwateng, a businessman.
The Montrealhene says he has no regrets in life “because God has blessed me with a beautiful wife, two lovely sons and hundreds of loyal friends including Prime Minister Trudeau.”
Nana Amanin has some immense love for soccer and ice hockey which he describes as “phenomenal.”
A liberal disciplinarian, he has advised the youth to be obedient, law abiding and pay heed to their parents.
“It is always important for the youth to show respect to their parents because they (parents) want their children to become big and assume a bear-sized part of society. I again advise them to listen to their elders because it takes the whole village to raise a child.
“Last but not least, our children and youth should focus on education, education and education. That’s the all-important key to their future.”
Appeal
The Sunyani Krontire Abusua Panin has appealed to the youth to vote peacefully during the forthcoming December 7 general elections, urging them not to allow themselves to be used by people who only seek their selfish interests.
“Every vote counts, so it’s good for the youth to vote. However, they should be careful not to be used for any political violence during the December 7 elections. Ghana is a very peaceful country and we ought to protect its sanctity and integrity.”
In 2014, the Montrealhene with the support and encouragement from the late Nana Anane Peprah and some active members in the Ghanaian Community in Montreal, formed the Traditional Council of Montreal, operating in the province of Quebec.
However, the idea of unifying the Ghanaian Community on chieftaincy, cultural and traditional practices, dates back to 1987 when the Omanhene Osadeoyo Kwateng Amanin set foot in Montreal, Quebec.
The Traditional Council of Montreal, among its mission, is to promote and practise Ghanaian culture and values in Canada and the diaspora, maintain and keep the Ghanaian heritage and also have a sense of belonging as a community of African descent.
By John Vigah
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.
