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President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku engages Destination DC ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has paid a one-day working visit to Destination DC as part of efforts to explore areas of mutual interest and strategic collaboration ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be staged in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The visit comes on the heels of the Final Draw for the World Cup, which confirmed Ghana’s placement in Group L. With preparations now accelerating, the GFA is seeking global partnerships that can enhance Ghana’s presence, visibility and operational readiness during the tournament.
President Simeon-Okraku and his delegation engaged Destination DC leadership on potential avenues for cooperation, particularly in the areas of tourism promotion, cultural exchange, commercial opportunities and diaspora engagement during the World Cup period.
The delegation also held discussions with Kimberly Bassett, Secretary of the District of Columbia, who joined the meeting to further support conversations around collaboration and shared interests.
The GFA President was accompanied by Executive Council member Frederick Acheampong, Director of Marketing Jamil Maraby and Chief of Staff Michael Osekre.
Destination DC, the official destination marketing organisation for Washington, D.C., plays a major role in driving economic development through travel and tourism.
The GFA views this engagement as an important step in leveraging the strong Ghanaian and African communities in the U.S. to rally support for the Black Stars while building long-term development links beyond the tournament.
Ghana’s World Cup schedule for Group L will see the Black Stars face Panama on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 in Toronto, England on Tuesday, June 23 in Boston and Croatia on Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Philadelphia.
The visit marks a continuation of the GFA’s proactive international engagement strategy, aimed at positioning Ghana both competitively on the field and strategically off it as the countdown to the 2026 World Cup intensifies.
Destination DC is a private, non-profit corporation with a membership of 1,000+ businesses and organizations that support the DC travel and tourism sector.
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
