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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.
Following the last edition held in 2022, the event returned as one of the leading professional platforms in Ghana dedicated to Spanish food and beverage products.
Organised with the support of ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade — Taste Spain Accra has been promoting Spanish gastronomy and strengthening commercial relations between Spain and Ghana for more than a decade.
This year’s edition brought together 8 Spanish companies travelling to Ghana to showcase a carefully selected range of Spanish food and beverage products and explore new business opportunities in the market.
In addition, 3 Ghanaian importers and distributors already working with Spanish brands participated in the event, presenting products currently available in Ghana.
While Spanish wines once again played an important role in the exhibition with Spain currently ranking as the third largest exporter of wine to Ghana this year’s edition also expanded to include a broader selection of Spanish food products and beverages, including sparkling wines, juices and gourmet specialities representative of Spain’s rich gastronomic tradition.
The event served as a meeting point for importers, distributors, retailers, hotels, restaurants, catering companies and other specialised professionals interested in discovering new Spanish products and strengthening commercial partnerships with Spanish producers.
Alongside the commercial exhibition, Taste Spain Accra 2026 featured tastings and networking activities designed to enhance the experience of attendees while reinforcing connections between Spanish producers and the Ghanaian market.
The event took place simultaneously with parallel editions organised the same week in Nairobi and Abidjan, reflecting the increasing interest of Spanish companies in exploring opportunities across emerging African markets.
Mr. Yann Emonet Ripoll, Head of the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain in Accra, highlighted not only the international importance of the Spanish wine sector, but also the growing recognition of Spanish gastronomy worldwide and the increasing interest in Spanish products within the Ghanaian market.
He also underlined the strong commercial relationship between Spain and Ghana, which has experienced significant growth in recent years.
Ghana currently maintains a trade balance with Spain, with exports exceeding €273 million, while Spanish exports reached €267 million in 2025, representing a 26% increase compared to the previous year.
The agri-food sector has been one of the fastest-growing areas of Spanish exports to Ghana, with exports increasing from €23.5 million in 2024 to €50.2 million in 2025.
The sector accounted for nearly 20% of total Spanish exports to Ghana last year, reflecting the growing demand for Spanish products among Ghanaian importers and consumers.
“We are very pleased to have brought Taste Spain Accra back to Ghana after the last edition in 2022. Over the years, the event has become an important platform for connecting Spanish producers with Ghanaian professionals and strengthening commercial ties between both markets.
While wine remains one of Spain’s flagship products internationally, we were especially excited to expand this year’s edition to include Spanish food products and beverages, offering a broader showcase of Spain’s gastronomic excellence,” he stated.
The Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of Spain in Accra remains committed to promoting quality business matchmaking and commercial opportunities between Spain and Ghana through initiatives such as Taste Spain Accra, which continues to position itself as the leading platform in Ghana dedicated to Spanish food and beverage products.
National Chairman hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Awentami Paul Afoko, has explained that his decision to return to seek leadership of the party is driven by a singular objective: helping it recapture political power and seeing Bawumia as President.
Speaking to party faithful in the Volta, Oti and Central Regions yesterday, the Former National Chairman said he did not abandon his retirement to pursue personal ambition, but because he believes the NPP has a unique opportunity to rebuild and return to government.
“I didn’t leave my retirement to come in for any reason other than power. Power is all we want, so that we can use power to develop our country according to the way we see it,” he stated.
According to Mr. Afoko, the NPP’s founding ideals and political philosophy remain the best path for Ghana’s development, stressing that the party must first heal its internal divisions before it can convince Ghanaians to return it to office.
He warned that the party’s declining parliamentary fortunes should serve as a wake-up call for members, especially the old guard, who have sacrificed for the party over the years.
“If we sit back, especially you, the elders, if you sit back and fold your hands and watch it, the party that you have toiled for from your youth is on a trajectory downwards,” he said.
Citing the NPP’s reduced representation in Parliament, Mr. Afoko noted that the party has dropped from 169 seats to 87, describing the situation as a clear indication that urgent action is needed.
“We are now at 87 from 169. We all must stand up and say this party must turn the corner and go up,” he urged.
The chairman hopeful believes unity remains the key ingredient for the NPP’s revival and eventual return to power.
He called on members across all levels of the party to put aside their differences and work together to rebuild a stronger and more formidable political organization.
Awentami Paul Afoko’s 3Rs Campaign is built on a simple formula: Reunite, Rebuild, Recapture power. He argues that the NPP cannot win 2028 with a divided house, so the first step is to reunite all factions and bring back disgruntled members as one family.
Once the party is united, he indicates that the focus shifts to rebuilding strong grassroots structures from the polling station to the national level, giving power back to the base.
With unity and solid structures in place, the final R becomes possible, which is to recapture power from the opposition and return NPP to government.
By: Jacob Aggrey
