News
National Women’s Summit & Expo celebrates another milestone
On March 7, 2025, the Grand Arena played host to an extraordinary celebration, as women from all walks of life came together to make history at the 7th National Women’s Summit & Expo.
Held at the iconic Grand Arena, this event reaffirmed its position as Ghana’s leading conference for women in celebration of International Women’s Day.
The National Women’s Summit, an annual affair has become a cornerstone of Ghana’s commitment to gender equality. What started as a modest initiative six years ago, courtesy of Charterhouse, has blossomed into an awe-inspiring gathering where women come together to share, mentor, and inspire.
Mrs. Theresa Oparebea Ayoade, the CEO of Charterhouse and convener of the summit, could barely contain her joy as she welcomed a diverse crowd that included teens, seasoned professionals, high-flying executives, and esteemed queen mothers.
This wasn’t just another conference; it was a powerful, intergenerational celebration of women rising, thriving, and championing each other.
As Mrs. Ayoade passionately shared her journey, the room was reminded that no woman rises alone—and that mentorship, networking, and self-discovery are keys to unlocking untapped potential.
“Let’s not just talk about gender equality; let’s accelerate action” she charged them.
Her words ignited a collective sense of purpose, adding that the time to act is now, and everyone—be it young women, business moguls, or policymakers have a role to play.
And speaking of action, the keynote speaker, Mrs. Efua Ghartey, President of the Ghana Bar Association, delivered a stirring address on the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024, challenging all present to push beyond implementation and make sure this new law is lived, breathed, and reflected in real institutional change.
Mrs. Ghartey reminded everyone that “true empowerment is not something that is given, but something that is earned through action.”
Shedding Light on Women in Agribusiness, Nana Yaa Owusu-Ansah, Beauty & Personal Care Marketing Director at Unilever Ghana & Francophone Africa, shares her insights on the innovative ‘Industry Spotlight on Women in Agribusiness’ segment, a new addition to the summit.
This exciting feature highlights the vital role women play in Ghana’s agribusiness sector, showcasing their successes, challenges, and contributions to the industry.”
As the headline sponsor of the summit, she emphasized the vital role women play in Agribusiness and the synergy with the Geisha brand.
She said, “Geisha is immensely proud to once again be the headline sponsor of this powerful women’s summit. Just like the incredible women we honor today; Geisha draws its strength from nature’s nurturing touch. Packed with natural ingredients like cocoa, coconut, lemon, aloe vera, and rose.”
She went on to make a bold brand promise, outlining the steps Geisha is taking to support women in Agribusiness: “Today, Geisha is taking bold strides to accelerate progress in Agribusiness. We’re launching a nationwide initiative to discover and support 10 visionary young women entering the agribusiness field. These women will undergo a comprehensive training program designed to arm them with the skills they need to excel. “
“And that’s not all—each of them will also receive seed funding from Geisha to grow their businesses. I believe that when women in agribusiness thrive, they don’t just grow—they multiply. Geisha isn’t just investing in their ventures; we’re igniting their potential and inspiring a future filled with abundant harvests,” she further added.
From the beginning through to the end of the event, there were series of discussions some of the sharpest minds and the most accomplished women leaders diving deep into critical issues like overcoming leadership barriers for women in both corporate and public sectors, to the intricacies of the Affirmative Action Law.
Ghanaian music icon, Akwasi Poku Addae, known in Showbiz circles as Kwaisey Pee has honoured his promise to children suffering from cancer.
Ahead of his 25th anniversary event held at the D’ Icon Event Centre at East Legon last year, he made a promise to donate some funds to children suffering from cancer.
True to his word, the musician has recently made a donation of GHC50,000 to the Paediatric Oncology Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He told the Ghanaian Times that children are so dear to him, and was optimistic the support would go a long way too impact lives.
The music dynamo also promised that the gesture will not be the last,” it will be a continuous feature from me.”
He also called on Ghanaians home and abroad to lend a helping hand to children suffering from cancer.
According to him, children with cancer have many needs, and a helping hands will go a long way ease the suffering.
“Cancer treatment is very expensive, and leaving that to parents of the children alone, will be a huge burden, with support from you and myself, we can make some changes in other people’s lives,” he concluded.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
A disagreement has emerged between Member of Parliament for Berekum West, Dickson Kyere-Duah, and energy consultant Kwadwo Poku over government funding for Ghana’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The debate centred on government’s decision to budget about 13 million dollars to support the national team, even though FIFA is expected to provide an appearance fee of about 10.5 million dollars if Ghana qualifies for the tournament.
During the discussion on Joys news , Mr Poku questioned why the government should allocate such an amount when FIFA already provides funds to participating countries.
According to him, the appearance fee alone should help cover some of the country’s expenses.
He argued that if FIFA is giving Ghana 10.5 million dollars simply for qualifying for the tournament, it raises questions about the need for the government to appropriate additional funds.
Mr Kyere Duah, however, explained that the government’s allocation was part of advance planning captured in the national budget even before the final qualification results were known.
He noted that the budget for the tournament period was prepared in November 2025, when it was not certain that Ghana would qualify.
He stressed that budgeting does not automatically mean the entire amount will be spent.
According to him, the funds are meant to prepare the team from the start of the competition period until the end of the tournament.
Mr Kyere Duah explained that if the team exits the tournament early, the full amount allocated in the budget will not be used.
Mr Poku maintained that FIFA already provides financial support to teams for participating in the World Cup and insisted that the government must clearly justify additional spending.
The discussion extended to the role of the Ghana Football Association in managing the national teams.
Mr Poku described the association as a private institution and argued that FIFA also operates as a private body that does not allow government interference.
He explained that FIFA provides funds to teams to support their preparation and participation in the tournament.
Mr Kyere Duah, however, maintained that national teams represent the country and require government support to operate effectively.
By: Jacob Aggrey
