Entertainment
South Africa is open for business- H.E Grace Jeanet Mason
South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason has appealed to various stakeholders to continuously do business with them.
According to her, South Africa is open for business, and have put adequate security measures in place to meet the needs of tourists.
Her Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason stressed that they have instituted Safety Tourism Monitors among others to ensure the safety of tourists.
Speaking at a Corporate Networking Event held at the residence of the High Commissioner on August 22,2024, she said, “Please do come and visit South Africa, South Africa is open for business, our beautiful landscape from all the 9 provinces, and our diverse cultures.”
She noted that tourists would have a tall list of places like Mandela Square, malls, pristine beaches, the table mountain, sites, among other beauties and heritage sites to visit.
The High Commissioner took the opportunity to celebrate the gains made as a result of the strong bilateral relationship between South Africa and Ghana which dates back to 30 years ago.
On his part, the West African Regional Director of South African Tourism, Thekiso Rakolojane, said in November 2023, they faced a challenge of decline in arrivals, adding that as a result, they were only able to achieve less than 30 per cent of their target, a situation which could have collapsed their market in Ghana if it had continued.
However, Mr.Rkolojane announced that at the end of March 2024 which is their financial year, they were hoping to get 15,000 Ghanaians visits from Ghana, surprisingly, they were able to exceed the target, by receiving about 21,000 Ghanaians visiting South African by the end of the period.
He expressed his appreciation to the South African Mission in Ghana, South African Airways and other trade partners in Ghana for helping them achieve such a feat.
Mr.Rkolojane was optimistic that they could do more, and assured stakeholders that they are ready for more business, as well as looking forward to working with all to address various concerns.
“If we can have 21,000 Ghanaians visit South Africa, directly injecting close to half a billion into our economy, we can double it, and we are saying as much as your business events contributes to our economy, we can contribute to your bottom line by providing you with high-class technology in terms of your training needs, excess to the variety of experiences in terms of the things to do in| South Africa and world class facilities,” he noted.
Some of the stakeholders at the event expressed appreciation to South African Tourism for close collaborations over the years.
The event marked a significant effort to further strengthening bilateral relationship between South Africa and Ghana with an an objective of fostering collaboration among various stakeholders in the corporate
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Entertainment
‘Artivism’ at TGMA27: Okyeame Kwame uses gold-themed Red Carpet look to wage war against galamsey
Renowned musician and “Rap Dacta” Okyeame Kwame transformed the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) red carpet into a platform for environmental activism, making a bold visual statement against the devastating effects of illegal mining, affectionately called galamsey.
Arriving in a striking ensemble, the artiste was draped in gold colours from head to toe, complete with a matching gold-plated sword.
However, the glamour carried a somber message. Flanked by two bodybuilders who performed as figures suffering from the physical and environmental “cancers” of illegal mining, Okyeame Kwame’s appearance served as a stark contrast between the beauty of Ghana’s gold and the destruction caused by its extraction.
Speaking to host Giovanni Caleb, the musician explained that his “glittering” look was a deliberate irony intended to spark a national conversation.
“I wanted to look like gold to remind Ghanaians that while gold glitters, galamsey destroys our rivers, our rocks, our air, and our nature,” Okyeame Kwame stated.
He further emphasised that the fight against environmental degradation transcends partisan lines.
“If we glitter like this once every year and forget that it is not the responsibility of the NPP or NDC, but the collective responsibility of all Ghanaians to stop this galamsey cancer, then we have failed,” he added.
Long recognized as an ‘Artivist,’ Okyeame Kwame has a storied history of using his public platform to champion social and environmental causes.
The 2026 TGMA, while a night of musical celebration, was momentarily refocused by the Rap Dacta’s plea for the protection of Ghana’s natural heritage, proving once again that art remains one of the most powerful tools for social change.
Okyeame Kwame is currently out with new single dubbed, “Clap,” a song encouraging communal support and celebration of others’ successes.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The biggest event on Ghana’s entertainment calendar is set for a night of honours, pomp, and pageantry.
It is a night where musicians who excelled during the year under review will be rewarded through the endorsement of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards Board, the Academy, and the general public.
The Grand Arena, the ideal venue for the 27th TGMA, will host a star-studded audience of musicians, media personalities, businessmen, politicians, actors, and footballers among others.
On this night, the most coveted prize is the Artiste of the Year (AOTY) category, which will see the crowning of a new king or queen of Ghana music.
Two heavyweights in the category, Stonebwoy and Sarkodie, have the opportunity to set an enviable record as the only artistes to win the coveted title for a third time.
Should they fall short, the opportunity shifts to Black Sherif and Diana Hamilton to equal the record of two wins, joining the elite ranks of past double-winners like VIP.
A win for Diana Hamilton, will set her up in a lonely journey at the top as the only gospel musician, to win the Artiste of the Year for the second time.
Alternatively, Wendy Shay could make her debut by winning the award for the first time. This would make her team up with Diana Hamilton as the only female artistes alive to hold the title. The late Ebony, won it posthumously in 2018.
If the title slips past them and falls to Medikal, he will also become a first-time winner, etching his name into the annals of Ghana music history.
Patrons can look forward to electrifying performances from a long list of confirmed artistes, including Black Sherif, Diana Hamilton, Piesie Esther, R2Bees, Medikal, Wendy Shay, Lasmid, Kofi Kinaata, Samini, and Fido, among others.
Beyond the ultimate prize, several other major categories are up for grabs, including Music Video of the Year, New Artiste of the Year, Gospel Artiste of the Year, Most Popular Song of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
