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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.
The family of Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, a distinguished statesman and diplomat, has paid a courtesy call on President John Dramani Mahama. They officially informed him of his passing.
The delegation, representing the Gbeho family, noted that it was culturally and diplomatically important to formally notify the President of the loss before making a public announcement of his death.
Ambassador Gbeho was a towering figure in Ghanaian and international politics. He served in many diplomatic missions, including New York. He was Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, a Member of Parliament for the Anlo constituency, and President (formerly Executive Secretary) of the ECOWAS Commission.
He was widely respected for his role in regional integration and his contributions to global diplomacy at the United Nations.
President Mahama expressed his condolences and shared reflections on Ambassador Gbeho’s contributions to the country, West Africa and the world.
Funeral details will be announced later.
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has revoked all firearm permits in Ghana with immediate effect and announced a new registration process for all gun owners.
The minister made the announcement on Tuesday, June 23, at the information service department saying all individuals who currently hold licences to own firearms or sidearms must undergo a fresh registration process.
“From this afternoon, all permits that have been granted to any individual that you are holding a sidearm or firearm is hereby revoked,” Mr Muntaka said.
He explained that the government had identified gaps in the country’s firearm registration system and needed to introduce stricter measures to improve public safety.
“We are opening the window where everyone will have to come forward again to register or re-register the gun because we’ve changed the procedure,” he stated.
According to him, the government decided not to wait until the end of the year to make the changes because lives could still be saved within the next six months.
The Interior Minister said one of the new requirements would be mandatory mental health screening for applicants seeking firearm licences.
“We’ve seen that people with mental health have already gone through and have the sidearm. Now we are introducing mental health. Before we give you the sidearm, we have to be sure that you have the mental stability to hold the firearms,” he said.
Mr Muntaka also announced that applicants would be required to undergo drug tests before being granted licences.
“We’ve also realised that people who are on drugs are also holding their arms and they are legitimate because it’s been registered. Now you have to go through drug tests to be sure that you are not on drugs before you can hold sidearms,” he added.
The minister said the new measures form part of efforts by the government to tighten firearm control and prevent legally registered weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
He urged all firearm owners to cooperate with the new registration process once details of the exercise are announced.
By: Jacob Aggrey
