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Go Yellow Campaign Launched To Support Children With Cancer

2026-09-24T08:17:05.583-07:00

The Cure Childhood Cancer Ghana Foundation, in partnership with Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge), has launched the Go Yellow Campaign to raise funds for the treatment and care of children with cancer.

The campaign also marked Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with a funfair at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park, where about 10 children who had completed cancer treatment were celebrated.

Dr Nihad Salifu, Head of Paediatric Oncology at Ridge Hospital, said the unit started three years ago with four beds and still operates with the same capacity, despite patient numbers increasing from 10 to more than 40 annually.

She said the unit was sometimes compelled to administer treatment in the playroom, with children sitting in chairs for several hours, and that the campaign would help provide a more suitable treatment environment.

Dr. Salifu said the campaign sought to mobilize one million Ghanaians to donate GH¢10 monthly to support tests, treatment, counselling, and transportation for children with cancer.

She said the Ghana Medical Trust Fund currently covered five childhood cancers, while children with other forms of cancer still required financial support. Treatment, she added, could take several months to three years.

Dr Adam Zakaria, Medical Director of Ridge Hospital, said many affected children came from poor households and could not afford treatment, which went beyond medicines to include food, counselling, exercises, and radiotherapy.

He urged parents and caregivers to seek medical attention early, saying close to 80 percent of childhood cancers could be cured when detected early and treated appropriately.

Dr Zakaria thanked partners, including Rotary Club, Enterprise and Lions Club, and commended the government for selecting at least six childhood cancers for funding under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.

Ms Salma Suhuyini Fuseini, Programme Manager of the Foundation, said childhood cancer cure rates in some countries exceeded 80 percent, while Ghana’s rate remained at 30 percent or below.

She said the Go Yellow Campaign sought to bring one million Ghanaians together to improve the chances of survival for children receiving cancer treatment.

Ms Fuseini dispelled misconceptions about childhood cancer, saying the disease could be treated and children from all backgrounds deserved access to care. She urged communities not to stigmatize affected children.

Dr Ernestina Schandorf, Greater Accra Regional Branch Chair of the Paediatric Society of Ghana, said childhood cancer was curable and called for efforts to give affected children access to timely treatment.

Ms Aisha Bashiru from Koforidua, a parent of a child undergoing treatment, said her child started complaining of stomach pains at age three, which she initially attributed to eating sweets.

She said the family had faced financial difficulties due to frequent hospital visits. Another parent, Ms Cecilia Ampoma, said the cost of treatment had depleted the family’s finances and made it difficult to meet other expenses.

The organisers therefore appealed to the public to support the Go Yellow Campaign.

Source: GNA

Breathe Adentan Campaign Takes Clean-Air Message To Frafraha Community SHS

2026-08-02T15:07:41.546-07:00

The Breathe Adentan campaign has engaged staff and students of the Frafraha Community Senior High School to educate and raise awareness about one of the Municipality's most persistent environmental health hazards: open burning of household waste.

In 2023, open waste burning caused over 32,000 deaths nationwide, according to the 2025 State of Global Air report. It’s Ghana's second-leading risk factor for death after high blood pressure, with household pollution from solid fuels and waste making up about two-thirds of these deaths.

In Adentan Municipality, a third of households using waste collection still burn excess waste in dug-out pits. This is not just a distant issue; it appears as household smoke, children's coughs, and worsening asthma cases. About one in three households with regular waste collection still burns waste instead of waiting for pickup. Each fire is a decision with lasting consequences beyond the smoke.

The engagement aims to have students, who are future leaders, pledge to champion clean air under the campaign's rallying call “The 'borla' you burn, your family breathes.” Change must start with young people, not just adults, as they carry habits into future homes. Students are messengers; they move between classrooms and homes, bringing what they learn to others. Engaging schools is a strategic effort that plants the seeds for today's students to become tomorrow's household decision-makers, community leaders, and Breathe Adentan Ambassadors of Clean Air long after the campaign ends.

The engagement brought together partners from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Breathe Cities Accra, and SCYCLES Ghana to discuss with students the health and environmental impacts of burning refuse in neighbourhoods, a common practice despite regular waste collection services.

The Team Lead for the campaign, Dr Vincent Kyere, said that “this crisis differs from many public health emergencies because it is largely self-inflicted and within our power to end. Unlike distant pollution, open waste burning is a local, reversible act. The solution is not only for policymakers but also for each household deciding whether to burn or wait, to separate waste or set it ablaze. Breathe Adentan aims to empower residents by providing awareness and alternatives to solve problems they alone can fix.”

The Frafraha Community SHS engagement is the first in a series of school engagements planned under the Breathe Adentan campaign, part of a wider push to shift household waste-burning behaviour across the Municipality's twelve electoral areas. The campaign will collaborate with existing municipal efforts, such as the Adentan Waste to Wages Project (AdWAWA), which aims to reduce, reuse, and recycle at least half of the Municipality's solid waste.

In her opening remarks, Ms Augusta Lartey Young, the Assistant Headmistress of Frafraha Community SHS thanked the Breathe Adentan team for the initiative and for partnering with the school to lead the charge in reducing air pollution and keeping the air clean for all. "The school is always open to initiatives like this from the private sector, because you bring the resources and expertise to drive real behaviour change on social issues in our communities, something we cannot always do alone," she said. "I hope this will be a long-term partnership, with students benefiting from information and education to keep the air clean for generations to come."

Kwaku Anim, Technical Officer at the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), speaking on behalf of the Authority, reiterated its commitment to championing pollution-free communities by enforcing regulations, including the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124). "For us at EPA, the safety and health of communities is at the forefront of our activities and will ensure all Ghanaians abide by the law to keep our air clean," he concluded.

Dr Sampson Manukure Atiemo, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Sustainable Cycles (SCYCLES Ghana), an environmental NGO dedicated to promoting the sustainable use of resources, urged students to see waste differently. "Burning waste deprives you of income," he said, noting that waste segregation can become an income-generating venture that reduces the very incentive to burn in the first place. He charged students to serve as ambassadors on campus, to foster an income-oriented attitude toward plastic waste management, and stressed that the initiative’s success at the school would ultimately depend on the environmental club and the wider student body carrying it forward.

I used to think the smoke from burning rubbish was just something we lived with. Now I know it's making people sick, maybe even people in my own house. I'm proud to be part of the Breathe Adentan project, and I'm going to make sure my family stops burning and starts separating our waste, starting today for income," said Esinam, a Home Economics student.

Stakeholders were urged to collaborate on waste management and adopt healthy behaviours to protect health and the environment.

Uber Marks 10 Years in Ghana, Creating Economic Opportunities for More Than 200,000 Driver-Partners

2026-06-11T08:56:53.566-07:00

Uber is marking its 10th anniversary in Ghana this month, celebrating a decade of helping millions of people move, connect and access economic opportunities through technology.

Since launching in Accra in 2016, Uber has grown from a single-city operation into one of Ghana's leading mobility platforms, serving riders across Accra, Kumasi, Cape Coast and Takoradi, while helping create flexible earning opportunities for drivers and fleet partners across the country.

Over the past decade, more than 200,000 driver-partners have earned through the Uber platform in Ghana, with over 40% of drivers using the platform as a primary source of income.

During this period, drivers and fleet owners have collectively earned hundreds of millions of dollars through the platform, helping support families, fund education, grow businesses and create new economic opportunities. Beyond creating earning opportunities, Uber has also played a significant role in transforming mobility across Ghana.

Since launch, the platform has facilitated more than 1.18 billion kilometres of movement across the country, helping millions of people access jobs, businesses, education and essential services through safe, reliable, and technology-enabled mobility.

This milestone highlights Uber’s operational growth while honouring the riders, drivers, fleet owners, businesses, and policymakers who have collaboratively shaped the country's evolving mobility ecosystem over the past decade.

"Ten years ago, Uber launched in Ghana with a simple goal: to reimagine how people move and create new economic opportunities through technology. Today, we are proud to have become part of how millions of Ghanaians move, work and connect," says Jada Badu, General Manager, Uber Ghana.

"This milestone belongs to our community. Every trip taken, every driver who chose to earn through the platform, and every rider who trusted us to help them get where they needed to go has contributed to this decade of progress."

Uber's impact can be seen in the stories of thousands of Ghanaians who have used the platform to create opportunities for themselves and their families. One such story is that of Mawuli Atakpa, who joined Uber in Kumasi in 2018.

Through his earnings on the platform, he was able to build a family home in Accra and support his children's education, including helping his eldest daughter attend one of Ghana's leading secondary schools.

His journey reflects the economic opportunities that technology-enabled mobility has created for thousands of drivers across the country over the past decade. Since its launch, the platform has continued to invest in innovation and safety, introducing features such as trip sharing, emergency assistance tools, driver verification technology and in-app safety resources designed to improve the rider and driver experience.

The company has also worked closely with government stakeholders and regulators over the years to support the development of Ghana's digital mobility sector.

"While we are proud of what we have built together over the last 10 years, we are even more excited about the future. Our commitment remains the same: building safer, more reliable and more accessible mobility solutions that create value for riders, drivers and communities across Ghana," Madam Badu added.

As it celebrates its first decade in Ghana, the company is launching a month-long campaign of rider and driver appreciation initiatives, recognising the people who have been at the heart of its journey.

Yuno Partners with Onafriq to Unlock Pan-African Payments for Global Merchants

2026-06-11T05:16:58.738-07:00

Yuno, the global financial infrastructure platform, today announced a strategic partnership with Onafriq, the leading Pan-African payments network, to bring Africa’s most expansive payments infrastructure to merchants worldwide. Through this integration, Yuno’s clients gain instant access to Onafriq’s network spanning 43 African markets, nearly 1 billion mobile wallets, 500 million bank accounts, and 2,000 cross-border payment corridors—all through Yuno’s single, developer-friendly API.

As businesses increasingly look to Africa as a high-growth frontier, the partnership addresses one of the most persistent friction points in cross-border commerce: the complexity of connecting to fragmented, local payment rails across dozens of markets. By combining Yuno’s payment infrastructure capabilities with Onafriq’s deep-rooted African network, the two companies aim to dramatically reduce the time and technical overhead required for merchants to go live and scale across the continent.

Onafriq’s infrastructure supports the full payment lifecycle — from real-time disbursements and omnichannel collections to card issuance, treasury management, and stablecoin settlement — all underpinned by local regulatory licences and ISO 27001 and CMML3-certified security. For Yuno’s merchant base, this means the ability to pay out to mobile wallets, bank accounts, or cash pickup points, and accept payments across channels, without managing multiple integrations or compliance frameworks independently.

“Africa represents one of the most exciting growth opportunities in global commerce, and yet too many merchants are still locked out by payment infrastructure that wasn’t built for scale. Our partnership with Onafriq changes that,” said Juan Pablo Ortega, Co-Founder and CEO, Yuno. “By bringing their unmatched African network into our infrastructure layer, we’re giving our clients a single path to a

continent-wide ecosystem with the reliability, compliance, and local depth they need to grow with confidence.”

The partnership is part of Yuno’s broader strategy to build a truly global platform that connects merchants to every meaningful payment method and network, regardless of geography. Following successful expansion in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, Africa is a key pillar of Yuno’s next phase of growth.

For Onafriq, the integration with Yuno extends its reach to an entirely new segment of global merchants who now benefit from a streamlined entry point into African markets. The partnership reinforces Onafriq’s mission of making borders matter less, bringing together mobile money operators, banks, fintechs, and enterprises into one connected payment ecosystem.

"Africa's payment landscape has never lacked ambition or momentum; what it needed is the right infrastructure that matches its pace. Our partnership with Yuno changes the equation for global merchants who want to be part of this growth story,” said Dare Okoudjou, CEO, Onafriq. “Through a single connection, global merchants can reach consumers and businesses across Africa more seamlessly than ever before, while more people across the continent gain access to the digital economy on their own terms. For us, this is what making borders matter less looks like in practice."

The integration is now live and available across Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Uganda. Yuno’s clients can access Onafriq’s capabilities — including mobile money disbursements and collections, card issuance, and FX treasury services — directly from the Yuno dashboard with no additional contract or integration required.

About Yuno

Yuno is a leading financial infrastructure platform that simplifies global payments for enterprise merchants and fast-scaling companies worldwide. Yuno optimizes acceptance rates, reduces costs, and enhances security, powered by a unified API connecting over 1,000 payment methods and fraud tools. Leading brands across LATAM, North America, Europe, the Middle East, and APAC trust Yuno with their payment orchestration. Notable clients include McDonald’s, NetEase Games, GoFundMe, Uber, inDrive, and Rappi.

About Onafriq

Onafriq is the leading Pan-African payments network, connecting businesses to 43 African markets through a single API. With access to nearly 1 billion mobile wallets, 500 million bank accounts, 2,000 cross-border payment corridors, and 460,000+ agents in Nigeria, Onafriq powers payments for global enterprises, banks, fintechs, mobile money operators, and merchants. Its services span disbursements, omnichannel collections, card programs, and treasury management, all backed by local regulatory licenses and ISO 27001, CMML3, PCI DSS, and SOC2 certifications. Where regulation permits, Onafriq also enables stablecoin management, prefunding, settlement, and on/off-ramps. Onafriq operates 10 offices across Africa, and in the UK, US, and China. Connecting millions of consumers and businesses to make borders matter less.

Testimonies Take Centre Stage as Ghana Hosts First- Ever Global Prayer Works Summit in Accra

2025-07-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, convener of the Global Prayer Works Summit

When Pastor Brenda Marko and her husband missed their flight from Nigeria to Ghana for the Global Prayer Works Summit, it would have been easy to take it as a sign to turn back. But giving up was never on the table, especially when they knew that what was ahead of them had the power to change their lives.

"Although we missed our flight, “We made up our minds that we were going to come,” Pastor Brenda said on the final day of the summit. “Because we knew this prayer summit would be impactful both physically and spiritually.”

And they were not alone. Many felt the impact.

Pastor Brenda Marko and her husband joined thousands to pray at the 2025 Global Prayer Works Summit

The Markos were just two of the hundreds who travelled from different corners of the world to be part of the historic event, held for the very first time on the African continent.

Hosted by Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, it took place at the Prayer Cathedral of Action Chapel International in Accra, Ghana’s capital.

The crowd was diverse, and for three days - July 17 to 19 - the Prayer Cathedral became a place of divine encounters. Those who participated came with expectations.

From the Archbishop to every guest speaker, each message pointed participants back to God’s desire to revive His people.

In between the teaching, worship swept through the cathedral like a tide. Ghana’s own Joe Mettle, Sandra Boakye-Duah, Rev. Ella Duncan-Williams, led the congregation in praise and worship.

People waved handkerchiefs, others stood still, hands lifted, tears falling as they soaked in every moment.

One participant at the Global Prayer Works Summit was overcome with emotion

One woman testified that she had come exhausted and weak, but everything change.

“I was so weak in my body,” she said. “But after the Archbishop led us in prayer, my strength was restored.”

But it wasn’t just about miracles. The summit created space for personal reflection. The all-night prayer session on the final day brought everything to a powerful climax. Led by Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and the summit’s guest speakers, it became a time of fervent intercession for homes, churches and entire nations.

As dawn approached on the last night of the summit, the Archbishop addressed the packed audience with a prophetic charge: “Congratulations, God did it. And so did you.” His voice carried both warmth and conviction.

Reading from 1 Timothy 1:18, he urged everyone to “contend for the prophecy” over their lives.

“You can’t leave here and go back to business as usual. As you put into action what you have received here, you will see the manifestation.”

Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams prayed over the congregation at the All-Night service

On the morning of the final day, the Archbishop hosted a special breakfast meeting for pastors, ministry leaders and global partners of Nicholas Duncan-Williams Ministries.

What’s Next?

The Organisers, Nicholas Duncan-Williams Ministries have announced that the second Global Prayer Works Summit in Ghana will be held from July 16 to18 next year.

Later in October of the same year, the ministry will take the summit to Sierra Leone, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo-Brazzaville, with specific dates expected to be announced soon.

Male Leaders Are Instrumental In Promoting Women’s Advancement in ICT – Sam George

2025-03-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Samuel Nartey George

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations (MoCDTI), Hon. Samuel Nartey George , has called on male leaders to leverage their positions to influence policies that foster gender equity and to take on the responsibility of uplifting women in the ICT sector to tackle the ongoing inequalities in the field.

Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Females in Tech (FEMITECH) Conference, which took place at the auditorium of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE), Sam George stated that the conference is instrumental in inspiring, empowering, and mobilizing women in technology to take decisive steps in their careers and lead innovative initiatives that effect meaningful change in the tech industry.

He added that male leaders must step forward and act as mentors and sponsors for women in ICT by providing guidance and championing women's advancement within their organizations.

“Though male leaders have made commendable strides to support women, there remains much more to be accomplished. We must advocate for hiring practices that prioritize diversity. This entails implementing unbiased recruitment processes and actively seeking diverse candidate pools,” Sam George added.

He also pledged that under his tenure as Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, there will be positive discrimination for women-led Tech businesses as a measure to increase women's participation in ICT and encourage them to pick up leadership roles.

The FEMITECH Conference is an annual event that brings together women from across the tech industry with diverse backgrounds in ICT to share their stories and experiences and learn about new and emerging trends in the technology space. This year, the conference, which is in its third edition, took place in five regions: Oti, Greater Accra, Upper East, Bono, and Ashanti.

Ing. Dr. Collins Yeboah-Afari

Ing. Dr. Collins Yeboah-Afari, the Director-General for GI-KACE, in his welcome address, described the current situation of women making up less than a third of the world’s workforce in technology-related fields as worrying.

“That is why the team at GI-KACE continues to embark on this Corporate Social Responsibility initiative each year to encourage women to particularly pick up careers in ICT and ultimately get more women in leadership positions in the technology space,” he said.

Ing. Yeboah-Afari disclosed that the FEMITECH conference will continue to recognize the amazing accomplishments women have made in diverse fields, especially the ICT sector.

“Over the years, GI-KACE has collaborated with MoCDTI, the World Bank, and several corporate organizations to institute several social interventions like Women in Tech, Girls in ICT, and Girls Can Code, among others, to break barriers, shatter glass ceilings, and increase the number of female representations in ICT,” he noted.

The FEMITECH conference brought together diverse women from academia, industry, and beyond to deliberate on pressing issues surrounding gender equality and equity in the technology sector.

Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann

Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, PhD, Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences at the University of Ghana, and Quiz Mistress of the National Science and Maths Quiz discussed the various advantages of having women leaders in organisations.

The Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Academic City University College, Ing. Dr Lucy Agyepong touched on privacy in the Cyber Age while urging women in tech to take cyber privacy seriously for their own personal safety and professional growth.

Oheneyere Augustina Asare Osei, Head of Government Relations, Ghana Gas, on her part also advocated for more women to participate, explore, and delve deep into ICT to help foster innovation and enhance efficiency in energy management.

Dr G. Ayorkor Korsah , Head of Department, Computer Science and Information Systems- Ashesi University, also gave a powerful presentation on 'Robotics; A Gateway to Creativity and Innovation.'

There was also an amazing panel discussion by distinguished speakers like Ama Adorkor Edjah. ACCA, CA , Ag. Chief Finance Officer-AT; Fred Yeboah , Director Research and Innovation; and Edna Engmann , Head, Transformation Programmes – Fidelity Bank on the topic 'Empowering the next Generation: How families can support girls in Tech' which was moderated by Emmanuella Godlove Osei .

The panel discussion offered invaluable insights into practical ways families can support girls in technology. The message was clear: active encouragement, access to mentors, and fostering a growth mindset are essential. As we move forward, let's translate these lessons into actionable steps, creating a supportive ecosystem that empowers girls to excel in the field of technology.

The Girl Child: “Our Rights Our Future, The time is now!”

2022-10-15T01:00:00.017-07:00

Esther Adobea Akuamoah

Although all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights; irrespective of gender, age, social status, or religion, the girl child continues to fight for this basic right.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child says that childhood is separate from adulthood, and lasts until 18 years; it is a special, protected time, in which children must be allowed to grow, learn, play, develop and flourish with dignity, unfortunately, the story of most girls is not like what the convention states. Why then is it so hard for girls to enjoy these basic rights?

Ten years after the institution of the International Day of the Girl Child, girls are still considered to be lesser compared to males in most parts of the world, their rights rarely acknowledged and basic needs sometimes denied. They are exploited and discriminated against simply based on their gender.

Despite initiatives, advocacy, and efforts of girl child activists over the years to increase awareness of girls’ rights and to beseech policymakers and governments to pass and amend laws, the situation seems to be pertinent.

Data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys, the Multi-cluster Indicator Surveys, and the Maternal Health Surveys indicate that Ghana is home to over two million child brides including currently married girls along with women who were first married in childhood. Nine out of 10 of these women do not attend school. How sad can it be that this is still happening in this 21st century?

In Ghana, successive governments, Girl Child activists, Civil Society Organizations, and Non-Governmental organizations have introduced and implemented interventions to eliminate barriers such as child marriage, violence of all kinds, poverty, and lack of access to education that hinder the rights of the girl child, and continue to stall the initiatives and measures being put in place.

One such intervention is the abolishment of cultural practices such as, 'Trokosi' and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which has caused so much damage and wreaked havoc on young girls. Though upholding the rights of the girl child has steadily improved, there need to be more targeted interventions that will reduce gender gaps, and promote and protect the girl child’s rights.

Personally, I believe girl child education is exceedingly important and crucial for the development of a nation. As the former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan once said, “there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women”. To have a society full of empowered women is only when the girl child is educated and empowered.

As we celebrate the 10th year anniversary of International Day of the Girl, let’s raise our collective voices, to promote and protect the rights of the Ghanaian girl child by giving them equal opportunity. Girls’ rights are human rights, the time is now; let us help to secure their future.

By: Esther Adobea Akuamoah (sibaakuamoa35@gmail.com)

About the author

Esther Adobea Akuamoah is a Public Relations Professional, Gender Activist and Sports enthusiast. She holds a Master's Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the University of Ghana and a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism.

GI-KACE Holds AI Series Forum on Music and Creative Arts

2022-10-02T02:57:00.039-07:00

The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) has organised Artificial Intelligence (AI) knowledge series forum on music, entertainment, culture and the creative arts.

The event, which took place at the auditorium of the Centre on Thursday, September 29, brought together several students, innovators, stakeholders and industry practitioners. Some of the dignitaries who were present include; Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) President, Bessa Simons; renowned Ghanaian poet, Rhyme Sonny; Host of Peace FM’s Entertainment Review show, Kwesi Aboagye; and Director of Communications and Special Projects at MUSIGA, Ahuma Bosco Ocansey, popularly known as ‘Daddy Bosco’ among others.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General for GI-KACE, Dr Collins Yeboah-Afari, stated that the session's relevance was to help create awareness about the opportunities available in using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the music, entertainment, culture and Creative Arts industry.

He also stated that with the right application of AI in the Creative Arts Industry, several jobs would be created in that space which will also increase revenue and impact Ghana’s Gross domestic product (GDP).

“The adoption of AI technologies in the music, entertainment, culture and Creative Arts industry will promote professionalism and enhance the quality of output churned out by the various players in the industry. This will also help showcase our talents to the rest of the world while in turn increasing the tourism value of Ghana,” Dr Yeboah-Afari said.

He noted that the event forms part of GI-KACE’s mandate to grow the ICT ecosystem in the ECOWAS sub-region and contribute to youth development while the Centre tries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Kobby ‘Spiky’ Nkrumah

Presenting on how AI is transforming the music industry globally, Kobby ‘Spiky’ Nkrumah, Host of Joy Geek Squad, Multimedia Group disclosed that AI is striking a chord in the music industry with many artists employing artificial intelligence in their music-making process.

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He added that some Ais had been developed so well that they could even analyse the style of musicians and create songs based on the data collected, which will sound exactly like the musicians themselves.

“There are a few AI-powered music production platforms like JUKE Box and iZotope, among others, that can create and master music once all the right elements like genre and lyrics are provided. Some of these platforms can even continue the beat production for you if you want them to,” Mr Nkrumah noted.

He also added that Digital music streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify and the like are AI-powered that analyzes what you listen to regularly and send music recommendations to keep you updated on new trending songs based on your taste in music.

On her part, Winifred Kotin, Co-founder of CDD Super Fluids Labs, mentioned that: “We can also use AI in Tourism through Virtual and Augmented realities powered by Virtual assistants which deliver immersive experiences. There are also a lot of opportunities in AI in Tourism through AI-Power Chatbots on Digital Kiosks. Digital Kiosk can have AI Chatbots installed and placed at vantage places like the airports.”

Eyram Tawia, Chief Executive of Leti Arts, noted that AI plays an essential role in the development of Video Games, especially for him, who is a Ghanaian game developer.

The AI Knowledge Series was organised by GI-KACE in partnership with the Institute of ICT Professionals GH, AI Association Ghana, Runmila AI Institute and GIZ.

GI-KACE Director-General Visits Korea for ICT Development Consultation Program

2022-09-22T08:50:00.002-07:00

The Director General of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE), Dr. Collins Yeboah-Afari, has visited Korea for a 5-day study program for an ICT Development Consultation Program in Ghana.

The focus of the program was to get support from the Koreans to help the government embark on the digitalisation agenda through the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD).

Speaking during the visit, Dr. Collins Yeboah-Afari, stated that GI-KACE is capable of supporting the government’s digitalisation agenda through Research and Innovation, Training, and Consultancy.

He highlighted some of the archetypes of GI-KACE, which include: Ghana’s first open-source Operating System called Nyansapo Operating System Solution (NOSS); the e-Leave Solution, which is an enterprise web-based leave management solution; the Cocoa Bean Quality Detector; Solar-powered Irrigation System; Performance Appraisal Platform; Invoicing and Revenue Mobilisation Platform; GPS-based Object Tracker and the e-Asset Management System which is also a web-based real-time asset management system for organizations among others.

The program, organised by the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI) and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) of the Republic of Korea, focused on ICT Policy, Information Security, Digital Economy, and Innovation.

The Ghanaian delegation included Director General for NITA, Mr. Richard Edmund Okyere-Fosu; Director for IT Department at MoCD, Mr. Samuel Antwi-Gyekyi; Deputy Director for PPDMED at MoCD; Mr. Emmanuel Ofori, Initiative Lead for Ghana CARES Project, Ms. Alexis Akyaa Boahen Owusu and the Manager for Child Online of Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Ms. Afia Darko Asante.

Angeles Foundation in Partnership with The Mastercard Foundation, Launches COVID-19 Vaccine Public Awareness Campaign

2022-09-13T04:30:00.017-07:00

In partnership with The Mastercard Foundation, Angeles Foundation has launched COVID-19 Vaccine Public Awareness in the Okere District within the Eastern Region of Ghana.

The theme of the Angeles Campaign “Obiaa B3 W)” is linked to the Mastercard Foundation #ItsUpToUs campaign to achieve the objectives of the Mastercard Foundation Public Awareness Campaign. The primary goals are to encourage Ghanaians in the demographic group aged 18 to 25 to get the COVID-19 vaccine, dispel myths and conspiracy theories associated with COVID-19 vaccines and encourage communities to get vaccinated.

Founder of Angeles Foundation in a pose with Okere DCE

In a keynote address, the District Chief Executive of Okere District, Hon. Kenneth Daniel Addo expressed his gratitude to the people for the turnout. He highlighted the responsibility of individuals to get vaccinated to mitigate the transmission and effects of the COVID-19 virus.

In her speech, the founder of the Angeles Foundation, Mrs Kobi Hemaa Osisiadan Bekoe, indicated that the “Obiara b3w) Campaign is linked to the Mastercard Foundation hashtag ‘ItsUpToUs”. Through a community-based approach, the campaign seeks to encourage individuals to take responsibility for getting vaccinated.

In partnership with Mastercard Foundation, the campaign seeks to encourage individuals and communities to vaccinate by highlighting the campaign's objectives. Mr Simon Adu-Poku (District Disease Control Officer- Okere), who represented Ghana Health Services, reiterated Ghana Health Services' commitment to ensuring everyone is vaccinated.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional council, the Abontenhemaa of Abiriw (Nana Awo Amobea) thanked Angeles Foundation and Mastercard foundation for the initiative. She appealed to the people to encourage one another to get vaccinated.

Let Us Tell Our Stories As PR Professionals

2022-07-31T00:11:00.012-07:00

Esther Adobea Akuamoah

On July 16, 2021, World Public Relations Day (WPRD) was launched. The date also marks the birthday of one of the early pioneers, Ivy Lee and honours his contribution to the noble profession.

It is a day dedicated to Public Relations to help in building a unified global agenda towards making the world understand and utilize it better. Often PR is seen as a spin and characterized by a lot of misconceptions and myths. Largely because as PR people we have not told our stories well enough.

For some people, PR professionals are fixers and are therefore called on when there is a crisis and for others, they are spin doctors who can take the truth and use it the other way in your favour. The truth is PR is none of these things stated above. It is time that we start by debunking these myths by educating the public on what PR is. The Public Relations Society of America defines it as a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their public.

As a Public Relations professional telling the stories of organizations and brands thus building trust in the process is one of your many functions. Over the years, brands and organizations have benefited from narratives that Public Relations professionals have told on their behalf yet not much is known about the profession or those who tell these stories. Though not magicians, Public Relations Professionals do shape perceptions and create a positive identity with the audiences they want to reach. This helps them to attract clients, customers, and investors and gives a good understanding of the company’s values, and mission.

The year 2021 marked the first World Public Relations Day (WPRD). Surprising right? I know but that is the reality we face. One would ask how difficult is it for PR professionals to tell their own stories when that is what they do on a daily basis for the brands and organizations they work for and with. Almost every profession in this world has a day set aside to celebrate and tout its contribution to the growth of its sector, society, and the world at large.

READ ALSO: It was a beautiful Dre Day!!!

Why will it take this long for us as professionals to celebrate our practice and its impact on society? It is because we have lost ourselves in telling the stories of others. It is like the mother who refuses to eat because the food can only be enough for her child. In as much as looking out for your child is essential, a mother taking care of herself is equally important because you need to be fit to take care of your child.

Generally, this year’s celebration was a good one with PR agencies, professionals, students, and corporate Ghana celebrating the hard work of the practice and acknowledging how important it is to the growth and sustainability of every organization. Certainly, World Public Relations Day is here to stay and it will always be a day where the hard work of all PR professionals will be celebrated among themselves and around the world.

By: Esther Adobea Akuamoah (sibaakuamoa35@gmail.com)

About the author

Esther Akuamoah is a Public Relations Professional, Event Planner and Sports enthusiast. She holds a Master's Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the University of Ghana and a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism.

It was a beautiful Dre Day!!!

2022-02-14T02:52:00.013-08:00

When I saw the poster for the 2022 Pepsi Super Bowl somewhere last year, the first thing I said to myself was "whoever put this list of artists together must be really really mad."

Today, while I was watching the 2022 Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, I said to myself again "now this production and set feels just like something Baba Sadiq and his team did last year. Though it also looks like a 'Dr. Dre' celebration', I swear on the two cents in my pocket that every detail was spot on. At a point, Dre himself was mixing the sound and playing the keys. Oh yeah, I mean that is the legendary Dr. Dre, 'god' of good and quality sound, and the one the rest of 'West Coast' call 'the Father of Rap'.

The opening act saw Snoop Dogg and Dre doing a song together. I won't give you plenty of details, watch the video (link provided below) and get the goosebumps some. All I will say about that performance is after Snoop saluted Dr. Dre, "It is the one and only D.R.E. Dr. Dre you lil bastards!!!" you catch the drift?

Oh!!! let me add that whatever Snoop Dogg has been eating, drinking, and smoking, doctors need to study the ingredients and chemical compositions because it appears the guy is just an immortal. Well enough of Snoop.

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50 Cent also took his turn hanging upside-down while he did his 'In da club' song which Dr. Dre produced and co-wrote.

Mary J. Blige took it way down with her 'Family Affair' song which was also produced by the maestro Dr. Dre. She was really 'in the spot' and 'made it feel alright' charley!!!!

Kendrick Lamar literally got out of the box to say 'Nigga!!!, we gon be alright'.

Then came my favorite part when Dr. Dre's musical firstborn, Marshall Bruce Mathers III, known to the entire world as Eminem, did his usual entry - appeared from the bottom of the stage doing the song that lets you 'Lose Yourself' in the music. Like fine wine, Slim Shady keeps getting better with age. Well, I had to 'Snapback to reality' cos 'he's dope and he knows that' but 'the clocks run out' all too soon.

And like a son will do to a father to honor him in public or in this case to the rest of the world, Eminem just had to bend the knee to greatness. In response to this humble gesture, Dre took charge of a white piano and played one or two of his legendary songs, and like the boss he is, he ended this short piano performance with his 'Still D.R.E. ' classic before teaming up again with Snoop to do the actual 'Still D.R.E.' song. The entire host of artists joined him on stage.

Though Dr. Dre is grown a lot, he is still ahead of his game and he still got love for the streets.

The 2022 Pepsi Super Bowl was a beautiful Dre Day!!!

By: Nii Ogbamey Tetteh

About author

Nii Ogbamey Tetteh is an Entertainment Pundit and a Communication Specialist who has worked with several brands such as Global Media Alliance, Planet Sports Limited, Noyam African Dance Institute, Daily Guide

Detty December in Ghana: Brands that got it Right

2022-02-09T03:08:00.008-08:00

Detty December in Ghana is simply the enjoyment level in Accra every December. It is always that time of the year that the world comes to Ghana.

It is a fine opportunity for the diaspora to connect with their roots - cultural diversity, heritage and “new skuul” lifestyles like pop culture, music and food.

With the elevation of all the tourism value chain elements coupled with Africa being the new market target, many companies are increasingly making their brands relevant to the Gen Z and Millennials.

In no particular order, these are the brands that came out December.

Daily Paper

Daily Paper is an African-inspired fashion brand known for its ready-to-wear garments and accessories with a creative direction fueled by rich African culture wrapped in contemporary designs.

READ ALSO: It was a beautiful Dre Day!!!

The brand has truly become one of the fastest growing fashion brands in Africa and Europe, offering timeless designs across accessories, streetwear and a range of capsules across the season.

During December, Daily Paper which has truly become one of the fastest growing fashion brands in Africa and Europe, opened its sought-after pop-up shop in Accra to drive lovers of streetwear to their hub.

The brand collaborated with other partners such as Off-White by the late Virgil Ablorh, Surf Ghana, Afrochella, NSG, Free The Youth among others to host a line of activities such as parties, networking hangouts, football tournament and other special curated events connected to the culture.

Free The Youth

Free The Youth (FTY) is a collective of young creatives determined to empower young Africans in the area of street-style fashion and culture.

Started as a social media Ghanaian street-style movement, FTY has now developed into a multi-branched organisation with the grand goal of promoting an art-based, youth-oriented movement for creative freedom and community development. It has gradually grown to become the creative mouthpiece for young people.

During the Christmas, the FTY opened its headquarters in Accra, a really impressive space created as a hub for African youth in Ghana. The space, according to the FTY, was a physical representation of Africa’s unmistakable creative evolution.

That grand opening saw a host of paneled talks, the opening of a Free The Youth store, as well as studio sessions and parties which saw likes of Black Sheriff, Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, Oxlade, Rema, Kwesi Arthur, Fuse ODG, Kofi Mole and others passing through to catch the vibe.

Ghana Tourism Authority

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) is the lead state agency in charge of implementing the December in Ghana campaign to its highest optimal points.

Since 2019, the government has had a deliberate tourism campaign championed by the GTA to make Ghana the favourite destination for Christmas vibes.

With a master brand ‘December in GH’, the GTA ensured that a large number of the events in December enjoyed a near perfect enabling environment to attract global attention to the country.

“Thanks to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) under the able leadership of Dr. Ibrahim Awal, this year’s activations were carefully crafted – focusing on more outdoor activities bearing in mind the times we are in,” said Akwasi Agyeman, CEO-Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).

GTA supported most of these events with sponsorship, marketing and promotions, and provided health and safety support among others.

There is no doubt that December in GH has become one of Ghana’s successful tourism brands and an anchor that has created a global wave, perhaps a movement, with people always looking forward to it every year.

Instagram

The picture sharing social media platform was intentional about how to immerse its brand into the Christmas vibes in Ghana. Instagram partnered with Afrochella Festival and was also the lead headline sponsor of the festival’s very first Fashion Night Out event.

Produced by Debonair Afrik, a Ghanaian based fashion brand and Afrochella, the Instagram Fashion Night Out was designed to celebrate the thriving fashion scene in Africa and showcase up-and-coming designers from the continent.

The dazzling event included 13 talented designers, two fashion exhibitions, a panel discussion and multi-brand pop up shops. It was Instagram’s way of celebrating Africa’s diverse culture and the vibrant work of African creatives and entrepreneurs. These activities were amplified by Instagram to its millions of followers to gain wider reach.

Martell Cognac

Throughout the year 2021, Martell Cognac has been busy. Most of the brand’s activations were on the back of partnership it had with Amapiano & Brunch Party which has become Accra’s favorite day party. The party is held periodically at Front/Back, music, food, and art club located in Accra, and it has featured major artistes such as R2Bees, MzVee, Stonebwoy, King Promise, Adenkule Gold, Uncle Waffles, Tiwa Savage and many others.

Martell, in partnership with Polo Beach Club also put together arguably the most-talked about high-end lit party known as the Martell Blue Foam Party. It was an epic night and the post-event reactions on social media was crazy, literally everybody looking forward to the next party.

At any of the events during December, guests had the chance to a sensory experience of Martell’s finest eaux-de-vie produced cognacs.

Surf Ghana (Freedom Skate Park)

For the first time, Ghana opened its first skate park – Freedom Skate Park in Accra. The opening which happened in December was also in honour of the late Ghanaian US-based fashion icon Virgil Abloh who was supporting Surf Ghana, the project initiators, to complete the park.

Unveiling the park, organisers paid tribute to the American designer of Ghanaian origin with musical performances by local artists and skate sessions by both professionals and amateurs. A new sport ecosystem that supports well-being, creativity and entrepreneurship.

The Founder of Surf Ghana, Sandy Alibo, said though skating is a lesser-known sport in Ghana, she believes it will go a long way towards boosting tourism and creating networking opportunities for young Ghanaians.

“We’re not talking only about sports, but we’re talking building self-confidence in the youth, about tourism and developing youth entrepreneurship,” she told AFP.

Ever-since its opening, the skate park has become a converging point for a lot of creative minds to connect with each other in sharing ideas and thoughts.

Twitter

The social media giant announced its presence in Africa in April 2021. Twitter’s presence announcement brought a lot of excitement among Ghanaians.

Per observations, whenever Twitter enters new markets, it invests in local communities and the social fabric through relevant partnerships that touches the emotions of the locals.

Ahead of its outdoor activations in December, Twitter partnered Ghanaian rapper M.anifest to launch a special emoji icon for the rapper’s latest album #MadinaToTheUniverse.

After, Twitter debuted its dedicated @TwitterGhana handle, bringing tweets to life on billboards in Accra. According to AdWeek, @TwitterGhana is the social network’s first dedicated handle in sub-Saharan Africa.

These Twitter billboards covered topics and hilarious moments that were uniquely Ghanaian, hence becoming part of viral conversations and also setting the tone for Detty December. One of the billboards captured the mood for Christmas saying “December in Ghana is just a two-week festival”.

Lastly, Twitter partnered with one of the biggest festivals on the continent – Afrochella Festival which was headlined by music superstars Wizkid and Stonebwoy with other talents. The blue bird social platform set up an art installation at the festival which really brought the brand to live.

YouTube

YouTube has always been a place to be entertained — from your favorite dance trends, new sound to exciting video contents.

Over the years, YouTube has enabled an entire generation of creators who have shared their voice and found an audience of more than two billion people.

YouTube, for the first time brought its brand to live in Ghana. The video streaming platform heavily pushed its YouTube Shorts which is a new short-form video experience for creators and artists who want to shoot short, catchy videos using nothing but their mobile phones. YouTube Shorts is a way for anyone to connect with a new audience using just a smartphone and the Shorts camera in the YouTube app.

YouTube had the biggest brand installation at Afrochella by creating what it called “The YouTube Shorts Playground” for over 10,000 revelers that attended the festival.

The brand also engaged in some music thought leadership programmes to help develop the youth and provide assistance to aspiring music industry professionals.

YFM

Ghana’s number one urban radio and leading music station, YFM launched a new initiative “Y Holiday Havoc” to support key December events with marketing, promotions, ticket sales and on-air talents – Presenters and DJs, all to create unforgettable memories for revelers.

Through the Y Holiday Havoc, YFM partnered major festivals such as Afrochella, Wildaland, Tribvl Jungle Fever, concerts – Gold Coast Carnival, Bhim Concert, and parties – PineXGinja, Gold Block Party. Others include Around the World, Taste of Ghana and Beach Lantern Festival.

For the brand, December in Ghana was right time to achieve two things with YHolidayHavoc Campaign – To create brand awareness and Showcase YFM’s Talents to the world. Talents like Kojo Manuel, Mensah Junior, DJ Loft, DJ MzOrstin, AD DJ, DJ MicSmith became household names at every major event and parties during the December. It was one sure way of winning with the brand.

In setting the tone for December in Ghana, YFM engineered a series of thought leadership conversations on Twitter Spaces talking to stakeholders, organizers and musicians who shared their thoughts on December in Ghana.

The brand also activated its waste recycling bottle radio booth. This was to re-enforce the brand's commitment to encourage plastic waste recycling under the YFM Plastic Recycling Campaign championed by Y Cares.

I want to conclude with special shoutouts to all the events that created the platform for these brands to connect with their audience – Afrochella, Wildaland, Amapiano & Brunch, Polo Beach Club, Tribvl Jungle Fever, Gold Coast Carnival, PineXGinja, Gold Block Party, Around the World and Akwaaba UK Parties.

By: Ekow Quandzie (pequandzie@gmail.com)

About the author

Ekow Quandzie is a Brands and Communications Executive

Celebrating Versatility and Innovation in the Midst of a Pandemic: Even COVID Innovates

2022-02-08T07:15:00.003-08:00

Kwabena G. Oppon-Kusi, the author

A brand is something that has a clear-cut identity among consumers, which a company creates by sending out a clear, consistent message over a period of years until it achieves a critical mass of marketing.” - Phil Knight

One word that is often mentioned during conversations about brands is Consistency. The biggest brands in the world, among other things, are believed to have remained consistent in their persona, look and feel, themes, messaging, etc. Even in personal branding, you are advised to consistently speak about one particular field, and carve yourself a niche audience in that field. Consistency is undoubtedly one of the main pillars of successful branding but it should however not be misconstrued to be synonymous with being static, stubborn, or averse to change.

By definition, to be consistent is to be unchanging in nature, standard, or effect over time. Managers of brands and creatives will agree that those are not words that inspire creativity. Having the same look and message over a long time has proven to be counterproductive for many brands. So how are innovation and dynamism so important to a discipline that is built on consistency?

Dynamic Consistency

Consistency in branding is not to be taken literally or swallowed whole. A consistent brand is not exactly unchanging but instead gives a perception of being unchanging while being fully dynamic.

The true value of a brand is the perception one has of it. If a brand is experienced in the mind of its consumer, then that is exactly where its consistency should be measured.

For instance, if a person says two different things to a sad friend, but the effect of comfort or the feeling of joy it gives to the friend remains the same, the messaging has been dynamic but the goal remains consistent.

In the same way, a brand can be dynamic with its message, logo, visual identity and objective, but must ensure that the end feeling or perception in the mind of the consumer is fully or partially consistent. A clear-cut example would be Nike’s campaigns. A campaign about its latest trainers results in the feeling of motivation that is conveyed by their slogan ‘Just Do It.

In the same way when Nike picks up a social cause, as it did for the Black Lives Matter movement, the same motivational feeling of ‘Just Do It’ is still felt throughout the campaign. In this case, the brand Nike has been consistent in perpetuity with its brand name and logo, has been consistent long term with its slogan, theme, and promise but has been dynamic with its messaging, which changes according to the times we find ourselves in.

Innovative COVID

Not to sound insensitive about a global pandemic that has taken and continues to take the lives of many, but there is no denying the fact that there are lessons to be learned from this deadly virus. The Coronavirus has caused brands to think deeper and act differently these past two years, however, this same pandemic that brands are battling through is giving everyone a lesson on branding, consistency, and innovation. The virus started spreading 2 years ago and has evolved every time scientists find a vaccine or solution for it. The virus has evolved, reinvented itself as multiple variants such as Delta, Omicron and so on, showing different symptoms and spread behavior. The virus however remains consistent in its effect. The perception and end goal we have of it hasn’t changed; it is still as deadly as its first variant and is still taking the lives of many.

Brands that are navigating this pandemic without being innovative must first take a look at the opponent, and at the very least innovate and evolve alongside it. The new variants have new brand names and even stronger modes of transmission. In a similar manner, brands must evolve beyond their business as usual and do more to reach their audience. One major example that we saw during the early days of the pandemic was major restaurants evolving to focus more on food delivery because directives did not allow them to operate as they were used to. They needed to evolve in order to survive, similar to the virus that caused the situation.

Brands that are looking to be dynamic creative and innovative need to make a few changes in their way of work to improve this culture and can follow a few simple pointers that I’ve outlined as ‘The ABCD of Brand Innovation’.

A. Acknowledge your Attitude

A brand must always be fully aware of who it is, what are your strengths, your weaknesses, who is your audience, and so on. It is known that you cannot improve yourself if you don’t know yourself. In times like this, it goes beyond Marketing Managers running sentiment surveys and developing a SWOT analysis based on their own experience of their brand. The best way to go is to run a full brand audit via a non-biased third party. This will uncover the truth about your brand and its positioning strength in the mind of the consumer. A brand audit is a thorough examination of a brand's current positioning in the market compared to its competitors and a review of its effectiveness. This can reveal the parts of the brand’s communication or operation that require innovation.

B. Be Bold and Brave

The corporate attitude that always precedes innovation is boldness. Boldness to choose the road less traveled and do something that has not been done before. Boldness to accept change and readiness to behave differently to ensure different results. This is an attitudinal fix that can start with something as small as changing the formats of meetings, the way reports are sent and the way days are spent in the office. Some of the common ways of incorporating a change in attitude towards innovation in any institution are:

1. Spell out the values and behaviors your innovative culture should exude.

2. Develop a plan to effectively communicate your innovation plan to your staff.

3. Change the workspace, or its look and feel, to instigate the change

4. Make sure that those influential positions embrace and act on the new culture

Consider the Crazy

As the Creative Strategy lead at Pulse Marketing, the Digital Marketing Agency of Pulse Africa, the most important comment I look out for during my brainstorm sessions is, “this idea is crazy”. As a creative person, I consider this high praise. When you want to make significant change and impact, you need to think of the craziest and most improbable solution before you distill it to the coolest, safest and possible. Welcome the crazies, it births the true solutions and challenges you to do things that your competitors are not doing. Always create an environment where your team feels comfortable to share the craziest of ideas without fear of judgment or reproach. This becomes the result of properly implementing the second point and introducing an innovation attitude by being bold. A few ways to develop creative ideas are:

1. Oxymorons: Putting two complete and improbable ideas together are a good way to come up with some new ideas.

2. Reverse Thinking: Taking common concepts and thoughts flipping them over and looking at them from an opposite perspective is another helpful way.

3. Fill your space with inspiration from other sources you admire and constantly apply the first two points.

Diversify your Deviants

Innovation is spurred by changemakers or what I like to call, deviants. After creating the right environment to welcome crazy ideas, brands must ensure that the ideas are not coming from a skewed perspective but from people who have varying experiences and are coming from different backgrounds. Diversity has become a key hiring objective for most, including Fortune 500 companies, where diversity and culture leads are well sought after. They recognize the need to ensure that there are different cultures and backgrounds to ensure that there is diversity in the ideas and work output of the company.

Peter F. Drucker’s quote “If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old”, is the best guide for brands when thinking about new and innovative ways to attract and engage customers. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in brands pivoting and innovating in the way they communicate and operate as regularly as the virus itself. In summary, if you’re still wondering if you should make that change to find new ways of business, the message I will leave you with is…even COVID innovates

By: Kwabena G. Oppon-Kusi

About author

Kwabena Gyabeng Oppon-Kusi is the Head of Creative Strategy at Pulse Ghana. Kwabena has been crafting and telling compelling and results-oriented brand marketing strategies to achieve the business goals of various companies from diverse industries.

With a Masters’ Degree in Brands & Communication Management, Kwabena has worked on projects for brands such as GCB Bank, Nestle, mPharma, MTN, Access Bank among others

Brand Innovation in a Pandemic: Perspectives of A PR Agency

2022-02-08T06:15:00.000-08:00

Paa Kwesi Forson, the writer

Once upon a brand, a story is told of a family of Mice who had been living in fear because of a Cat. They came together to discuss how to defeat the Cat. A young Mouse suggested putting a bell around the Cat’s neck so they could hear when the cat approaches. All the other Mice agreed in theory, apart from one wise, old Mouse. The old Mouse asked: “Who will put the bell on the Cat?” The lesson here is that it is never a good idea to boast about an idea until you know it’s going to work when executed.

Having worked at one of Africa’s best Public Relations firms, Global Media Alliance (GMA), I can confidently say that I know what clients want from agencies and why they engage them. From the suggestions of the wise Mice, we are the ones to put the bell on the cat. I’ll explain in a bit. Clients simply want straightforward solutions and not more problems. They need agencies such as GMA to make meaningful connections with the audience through effective branding. Here, branding is what makes a memorable impression on consumers and allows your customers and clients to know what to expect from your company. You can also call it a true representation of who you are as a business, and how you wish to be perceived.

Hence, setting the tone on branding determines the direction, feel, content, vision, and execution of every message that is delivered.

Our team of skilled PR professionals develop and implement tailored communications and marketing solutions to positively influence public perception of our clients, their brands, and products/services. These skilled team members bring experience to bare in satisfying clients in key industries such as Finance, Telecoms, Technology, Travel/Tourism, Healthcare, Automobile, Aviation, Energy, Food, Beverage, Agribusiness, Gov’t relations, and Real Estate industries and more.

BRANDING REALITIES DURING AND AFTER COVID-19

In March 2020 when Ghana recorded its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19, the whole country was in disarray. No one was ready for a pandemic that destabilized economies, claimed lives, ravaged businesses; disrupt our normal way of life, came with job cuts, amongst other challenges.

Companies were in a dilemma on salvaging their businesses or turning attention to the safety of customers or citizens. Coincidentally, customers expected such brands to show their humane side in times of crisis specifically through empathetic actions. The clients GMA works for had to apply tact and sensitivity to the challenging times; we advised maintaining prices, not to burden customers further.

Customers have taken keen interest in scrutinising actions and inactions taken by brands when it comes to safety; this applies to customer, employees and communities in general. Subconsciously, customers and the general public take notice of brand’s efforts at improving society or connecting positively with society; they offer good scores for companies who care and have earned the public’s trust amid health and safety uncertainties. The reverse is true for brands who are making profit but caring less.

The COVID phase of lockdown and its accompanying hardship saw most organizations contributing to the public good; they donated cash, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), among others. Other brands and individuals partnered the COVID-19 Private Sector to construct and stock Ghana’s first Infectious Disease Centre.

More recently, the Appiatse explosion around Bogoso in January 2022 has seen many well-meaning Ghanaians and multinationals donating relief items; mattresses, rice, sugar, buckets, cooking oil, canned fish and toiletries worth millions of Cedis. These were to support the dislocated residents, support towards the rebuilding of the township and commensurate with the grieving families.

THE BRANDING GAMECHANGER

The fundamentals of brand building have remained the same but the “how to build the brand” is different post COVID; it therefore calls for a new or refined playbook that tackles the real issues. Let’s zoom in on some brand game-changing ideas.

Prioritize authenticity to drive action

During the lockdown phase last year especially, the Ghanaian consumers got used to empathy, community support from countless brands. With consumers being served social responsibility by brands, the bar has been raised. The modern-day consumer has outgrown PR and social media stunts, and see right through scripted activities and acting; they lean more towards authentic brands that tell basic stories using great values, messaging and tone of voice; these stories should be just appropriate (not overdone).

Stand for something

To answer why companies and individuals divert huge sums of monies for COVID 19 support and other emergencies, it comes from a place of brand commitment to adjust; and offer innovation strategies to compete against the COVID-19 pandemic-induced market downturn.

To make brands trustworthy, brands are smartly shifting their priority; shifting from solely making profits to ensuring the wellbeing of customers and employees first.

It is as simple as that and a worthwhile investment.

Keep a pulse on what customers want

The major learning during COVID 19 outbreak, lockdown and its accompanying restrictions was that consumers controlled the market in terms of what they wanted and how fast they wanted it; thanks to car-hailing apps, food delivery apps, social media platforms, and others.

In 2022 and beyond, brands must excel at having a clear understanding of customer expectations; and consumer journeys to gain a distinct competitive advantage.

As companies look to build trust, it’s important that marketers own customer experience initiatives across the organization. It’s not enough to have a presence. Marketers must invest in driving engagement mapped to customer needs.

Rethinking brick and mortar module of doing business

The lockdown phase of the COVID outbreak led to schools, offices, churches and all social gatherings being put on hold; that was a wakeup call for clients to revise their strategy beyond physical structures.

Brands today should rethink accolades of having the biggest branch network in a sector or wider on-ground reach; they need to implement agile and innovation platforms to reach a wider market; evolve with their customers and not get left behind.

After two years of living with COVID, brands have no place going back to the old ways of doing business. It’s innovation or nothing.

Hoping unto impactful platforms

In a post-pandemic world, it’s important to promote togetherness online and offline. This will forge a closer bond with your customers at different levels. Virtual connections skyrocketed during the pandemic where people were no longer able to meet up in person; this was due to quarantines, travel restrictions and social distancing guidelines.

To promote togetherness online, brands can host virtual events to engage with customers. For example, banks can host a virtual session to build the capacity of its SME, premium, youth and other segments. It’s about time brands take advantage of platforms like Clubhouse to connect on a deeper level with customers; they can provide helpful advice in interviewing industry leaders and even celebrities.

CONCLUSION: PR AGENCY OPTION

A plane was flying through the clouds and suddenly lost balance. Everyone started shouting in fear. But a small boy kept playing with his toy. When the flight landed safely after one hour, a man asked the boy; “How could you play with your toy when everyone was afraid?”

The boy smiled and said… “My dad is the pilot and I know he will land safely.”

That is the kind of smooth experience the team at Global Media Alliance brings to current and potential clients. We believe the pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for most brands; but innovation can help brands get back on track and even start engaging with customers at higher levels than ever before.

By: Paa Kwesi Forson

Boxer Dodzi Kemeh teams up with Green Sports Academy

2021-11-21T01:38:00.005-08:00

The Green Sports Academy has announced that it will be working with African champion and IBF Super Welterweight, Dodzi Kemeh, to help him achieve his goal of becoming a world champion.

Kemeh, who hails from Ghana, has already made a name for himself in the boxing world with his impressive record of 21 wins and only 2 losses. He is known for his formidable skills in the ring and his determination to succeed.

The Academy's founder, David Green, expressed his excitement about the partnership, saying, "We are thrilled to have Kemeh join our team and believe that with the help of his translator Gabriel Boateng and our world-class coaching staff, he has the potential to become a true champion. We will do everything in our power to help him reach his full potential."

Speaking through his new interpreter, Mr. Boateng, Kemeh also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, saying, "I am grateful to be joining the Green Sports Academy. I am confident that with their help, I can take my career to the next level and achieve my dream of becoming a world champion."

The partnership between Kemeh and the Green Sports Academy is sure to be a winning combination, and fans can look forward to seeing Kemeh's progress as he works towards his ultimate goal.

Dodzi Kemeh Prepares to fight Giovanni Santillan

2019-11-01T03:24:00.001-07:00

Ghanaian boxer Dodzi Kemeh is preparing for an upcoming bout against Santillan, which is set to take place at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California. Kemeh is determined to come out on top in this fight, and he has been working hard in the gym to make sure he is in top condition. In a statement delivered through his interpreter, Gabriel Boateng, Kemeh declared his confidence in his ability to defeat the southpaw Santillan, who hails from San Diego and has an impressive record of 23-0 with 13 knockouts.

To defeat Santillan, Kemeh knows that he will need to bring his best performance on fight night. He has been focusing on improving his technique and physical conditioning in the lead-up to the fight, and he is determined to do whatever it takes to come out on top. It is sure to be an exciting and competitive fight, and fans of both fighters are eagerly anticipating the action that is sure to take place at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California.

In addition to his physical training, Kemeh is also working on his mental preparation for the fight. He is focused on staying calm and collected in the face of the intense pressure and excitement that comes with a professional boxing match. He is confident in his abilities, but he also knows that Santillan is a formidable opponent, and he is taking nothing for granted.

Kemeh has been studying video footage of Santillan's past fights, looking for any weaknesses or tendencies that he can exploit. He is working with his trainers to come up with a game plan that will give him the best chance of success on fight night. He is also relying on the support of his fans and loved ones, who are cheering him on and helping him stay motivated as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career.

Overall, Kemeh is fully committed to coming out on top in this fight. He knows that it will be a tough and challenging bout, but he is ready to put in the work and do whatever it takes to emerge victorious. He is confident in his abilities, and he is looking forward to the opportunity to showcase his skills and determination in the ring.

Dodzi Kemeh vows to Finish Daniel Aduku in IBF Super Welterweight Clash

2019-09-22T08:14:00.001-07:00

Dodzi Kemeh has declared that he will stop Daniel Aduku in their highly anticipated IBF super welterweight clash at the A Plaza Hotel in Dzodze, Volta Region on October 5, 2019. Kemeh has been hard at work in the lead-up to the fight, determined to emerge victorious and make a statement on the world stage.

According to Kemeh's translator, Gabriel Boateng, the Ghanaian boxer said he is in excellent form and fully focused on the task at hand. "Dodzi is a fierce competitor, and he is leaving no stone unturned in his preparation for this fight," Boateng said. "He is fully committed to delivering a dominant performance and coming out on top against Aduku."

Aduku, for his part, is no stranger to big fights and has proven himself to be a formidable opponent in the past. However, Kemeh is confident in his ability to overcome his opponent and cement his place as a legitimate contender in the super welterweight division.

"Dodzi has been working tirelessly in the gym, and he is in the best shape of his career," Boateng said. "He is ready to put on a show and make a statement against Aduku. It's going to be a tough fight, but Dodzi is ready for the challenge and he is determined to come out on top."

The matchup between Kemeh and Aduku promises to be a thrilling one, with both fighters bringing a wealth of talent and experience to the ring. It's sure to be a must-see event for fans of the sport, and one that could have major implications for the future of the super welterweight division.

Dodzi Kemeh calls out Obodai Sai for WBO African Middleweight fight

2019-09-19T08:06:00.015-07:00

On September 13 2019, Dodzi Kemeh issued a challenge to Obodai Sai for a World Boxing Organization (WBO) African Middleweight contest.

Kemeh, a rising star in the boxing world, is known for his impressive footwork and powerful punches. He has a record of 25 wins and 2 losses, with 21 of those wins coming by way of knockout.

Obodai Sai, on the other hand, is a seasoned veteran with a record of 25 wins and 8 losses. He is known for his formidable defense and his ability to withstand punishment.

The prospect of a Kemeh vs. Sai matchup has fans of the sport buzzing, as it would pit two skilled fighters against each other in what is sure to be a thrilling contest. Both men have expressed their eagerness to get in the ring and face off, making it clear that they are ready for the challenge. Speaking through his interpreter, Gabriel Boateng, Kemeh indicated he was ready to move to the next level in his career and Sai cannot stop him.

The WBO has not yet officially sanctioned the match, but it is expected to draw a large audience and could potentially be a title fight. If the bout does take place, it will be a historic moment for African boxing, as it will showcase the talent and determination of two of the continent's top middleweight fighters.

Fans of the sport will be eagerly awaiting further updates on this potential matchup, and will no doubt be cheering on their favorite fighters when the bell rings.

Dodzi Kemeh calls on Gov't to Invest in Boxing

2019-09-13T03:08:00.008-07:00

Ghanaian world title prospect Dodzi Kemeh has called on the government to invest in boxing in order to make the sport more attractive to young people. Kemeh, who is known for his impressive skills in the ring, believes that increased support from the government could help to nurture the next generation of boxing talent in Ghana.

According to Kemeh, the lack of investment in the sport has made it difficult for young boxers to succeed and reach their full potential. Many talented fighters are forced to turn to other sports or even leave the country in search of opportunities, he said.

Kemeh made his plea through his translator Gabriel Boateng, who explained that the boxer wants to see more resources put into the sport so that it can become a viable career option for young people in Ghana. Boateng added that Kemeh is committed to working with the government and other stakeholders to help develop the sport in the country.

In addition to calling for increased investment, Kemeh also highlighted the importance of improving the quality of training and facilities available to young boxers. He said that with the right resources and support, Ghana has the potential to produce world-class fighters who can compete on the global stage.

Overall, Kemeh's message is clear: it is time for the government to take action and invest in the future of boxing in Ghana. By supporting young boxers and helping to grow the sport, the country can nurture a new generation of talented fighters and ensure a bright future for boxing in Ghana.

Reaping the rewards

2019-07-23T07:49:00.001-07:00

Benefits of technological development are priceless and it is therefore incumbent on African economies to capitalize on their strong partnership with China

On July 7, 2019, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement was officially implemented, becoming the world's largest free trade area since the creation of the World Trade Organization.

Among other things, it will create a single continental market for goods and services and provide value for investors because if implemented successfully, accessing Africa's 1.2 billion consumer market should be a smooth ride and serve as a catalyst for foreign direct investments. Africa needs technological support to realize the gains of AfCFTA and other initiatives and it is therefore heartening to see private Chinese enterprises taking up the initiative to invest on the continent.

It is therefore not surprising that the African Union has signed a three-year memorandum of understanding with Chinese tech giant Huawei to strengthen sectors including the internet of things, cloud computing, broadband, the rollout of 5G networks and artificial intelligence. This is a confirmation of Africa's need for Chinese technology irrespective of current sanctions from the world's largest economy, the United States.

From smartphones to smart cities, Chinese involvement will continue to be positive in Africa. Chinese mobile phone makers have been smart to tailor their products for the African market with features such as long battery life to address Africa's unstable power supply in certain areas.

China's Transsion, the maker of Techno and Infinix phones, and Huawei have substantial shares of Africa's mobile phone market, 34.3 percent and 9.9 percent, respectively.

Transsion has a factory in Ethiopia for assembling and testing its phones in addition to research and development centers in Nigeria and Kenya. And aside from the creation of jobs through technology, their physical presence on the continent can facilitate the transfer of technology and learning.

On its part, Huawei has partnered with African governments to build much of the continent's telecommunications, offering quality but affordable alternatives.

Meanwhile, in helping African retailers tap into China's large consumer market, China's e-commerce giant Alibaba launched its Electronic World Trade Platform in Rwanda in 2018 to promote cross-border trade between Africa and China. But beyond promoting e-commerce between China and Africa, we believe that, this initiative can be the bedrock for an intra-country e-commerce system boosting trade between African countries especially with Africa's free trade area policy taking shape.

The broadcast media is also not left out of this equation as we see Chinese electronics and media company Star Times playing an active role in the switch from analogue to digital transmission on the African continent.

These examples and many more are evidence of the Chinese contribution to Africa's technological development.

As developing countries are entreated to focus on technology and learning transfer as a means to becoming independent and controlling their technological infrastructure, it is incumbent on Chinese technology companies working with Africa to also exhibit good faith by providing the right training required by their hosts with no holdbacks and withholding of secrets.

Developing higher technology and placing it within the global economic integration has enormous prospects and challenges. And it positions China within the purview of global economic and technological forces.

The prospects of this development is the competitive advantage and global economic edge that China wields over emerging and already developed economies. And this will strengthen China's goal of promoting equitable and efficient global trade.

The Chinese technological transformation and contribution to global development is a success achieved in one generation.

China's economic and global trade growth is inseparable from the systematic and progressive development of its technology. Appropriate and reliable high technology is acknowledged to have been a catalyst for the acceleration of China's economic and infrastructural development. Therefore, with Africa home to the world's youngest population - 60 percent of Africans being under the age of 25 - it is not surprising to see many African countries investing heavily in technology and its related infrastructure.

So, what does this age statistic mean? It shows a booming market for technology and development. And aside from population, other events and indices such as the growing demand for industrialization puts Africa at the same point as China when the latter was beginning its economic transformation in the 1970s.

The benefits of technological development are priceless and it is therefore incumbent on African economies to capitalize on their strong partnership with China, and innovate with China's experience and knowledge.

Timothy Karikari is a PhD candidate at the University of International Business and Economics, based in Beijing. Ohene Opoku Agyemang is a PhD candidate at Jinan University, based in Guangdong.The authors contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

By Timothy Karikari and Ohene Opoku Agyemang | China Daily Global

Herty Corgie nominated for 2019 CGMA Female Artiste of the Year

2019-07-10T06:01:00.003-07:00

Gospel artiste and philanthropist Herty Corgie has been nominated in the Female Artiste of the Year USA category of the Contemporary Gospel Music Awards 2019.

Herty is vying for the trophy as is Annistar, Toya Love, Ruth Seal, Terricann Music, Jane Rita and Pastor Esinu.

On becoming aware of her nomination, Corgie submitted on her social media platforms:

“What an Amazing God we serve! I have been nominated for CGM Awards - Ghana 2019.”

Contemporary Gospel Music Awards (CGM AWARDS) Ghana scheme is designed to foster the development of the Ghanaian contemporary gospel music industry.

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Organisers reckon the contemporary gospel industry needs necessary attention to enhance its rapid growth and development in the country and in the diaspora.

Musicians who released songs, albums, videos or did any kind of project that fell under any of the published categories was required to send in their nominations by email for consideration.

The award is mainly a public choice award which allows the public 70% voting power to decide who wins what. The other 30% power lies in the bosom of board.

Herty Corgie executed the ‘Overflow Concert’ at the Grace 2 Grace Centre in the US on June 2. The Christian music event at the 7911 Braygreen Road, Laurel MD 20707 drew in gospel music notables including J.J Hairtson, Emmanuel Smith (The Voice-UK finalist), Esinu and Obenewa.

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Kindly use this link to vote for Herty Corgie: https://www.speakupp.com/web/328447-3675/

In what some have described as the worship experience of the year, the concert was chiefly about expressing love for God and acknowledging his Supremacy.

Corgie had offered ‘Glory’, a tune edifying God few weeks prior to the concert and right after the concert impressively offered two new singles ‘Yahweh’ and ‘Ololufe’ on June 14.

At the June 2 event, Herty’s new singles were recorded live and just a week ago released the live video of the ‘Ololufe’ song on her YouTube page. Plans are in the works to release her songs and video on DVD.

Folks can support Corgie’s ministry by purchasing her music here: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/hertycorgie3

Gospel music enthusiasts, pastors and church workers are encouraged to vote for Herty Corgie to win the Female Artist of the Year USA.

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It’s now only a matter of time before Herty Corgie’s true musical depth is experienced by all. She thus needs all the material and financial support she can get to continue churning out soul-stirring contemporary gospel music that inspires and transforms lives.

Connect with Herty Corgie on social media platforms:

Facebook: @iamhertycorgie

Twitter: @iamhertycorgie

Instagram: @iamhertycorgie

Youtube: Herty Corgie

By: Michael Eli Dokosi

Four Signs It’s Time To Hire A PR Agency

2019-05-22T03:18:00.001-07:00

Once in a while, PR people working in a small agency or team will feel overwhelmed. Occasionally, the workload or new task assigned a bigger team may often require an extra push from an external party. That is where seeking the services of a PR Agency may come in handy.

Organizations sometimes need more time, diverse ideas and more resources to organize a successful publicity campaign. It’s better for them to seek competent, professional advice from an external agency. Such external help brings onboard a more objective approach to the issues at hand. Hiring the services of a Public Relations firm/communications consultant also allows you to focus on your day-to-day operations, and handle much of the work involved in running an efficient campaign.

Here are some four (4) ideas a scaling business should consider when investing in Public Relations:

1. DELIVERING COMPETITIVE EDGE

You see competitors’ news and social media footprint for a reason; it simply means they’re working the public relations better than you. Barbara Corcoran, celebritybusiness mogul on Shark Tank, once opined: “If you’re not being quoted in the press, you’re losing market share by losing limelight.” It’s that simple.

An experienced communications agency is usually an extension of your brand; delivering insight, media monitoring, reporting and strategy in the competitive industry landscape. At the end of the day, your need an ally to help you answer these salient questions:

• On what key themes are your competitors hanging their hats in both the press and other marketing strategies?

• Are there gaps in competitor messaging that your brand can fill?

• Have competitors amped up their press and announcement strategy recently? Why and how can your brand enter the conversation?

• Is there an opportunity for your brand to take a contrarian stance and stand out from the noise competitors are creating?

This kind of insight helps you create a stronger content strategy to win at media coverage, Return on Investment (ROI) and brand visibility.

2. RETAINER NEGOTIATION THAT KEEP YOU TOP OF MIND

Hiring a Public Relations firm for a short-term period and letting them go once the job is done is one of the worst things a company can do. Once newsmakers, key stakeholders and customers don’t hear from you that much, your relevance dwindles.
PR can keep your firm top of mind through thought leadership opportunities to give credibility to your executive staff, creating videos or podcasts on peripheral but relevant subjects to garner attention and conversation around your leadership and company.

3. DAMAGE CONTROL

Many companies (even the experienced ones) may not be fully equipped to handle crisis situations; disgruntled outpour of consumer feedback, due to a fault in the production or manufacture in some of their products and so on. PR firms, on the other hand, are better experienced and specially trained to handle and prevent crisis- like situations which can have disastrous consequences in the long run. An experienced PR agency can swiftly tackle the situation; provide a proper action plan so that maximum damage control can be achieved in minimum time.

4. GAIN CREDIBILITY

Reviewing the success stories of most brands in Ghana and beyond, it is evident that a brand is a marathon and not a sprint; in other words, the long-term effects of media visibility grow over time; in fact, years and this creates amplification.
PR people, work in conjunction with social media, events or charity, develop layers of conversation about product over many years. When you look at the changes the company makes, let’s say over a three-year period, which is a good time to measure, there will be a trajectory. And if that trajectory trends up, you’ve done something right.

CONCLUSION:

Hire a PR firm based on these four items;

• Experience.
Experience of PR firm or PR professionals or experience in a PR industry.

• Case studies.
Case studies are a great way to confirm a PR firm’s experience.

• Testimonials & recommendation
Speak with current and past clients to hear their feedback from working with the PR firm.

By Paa Kwesi Forson

About writer : Paa Kwesi Forson is the Head of Public Relations at Global Media Alliance and Blogger at www.paakwesiforson.com

Avengers: Endgame Crushes $2 Billion Milestone in Record Time

2019-05-06T07:47:00.001-07:00

Disney’s “Avengers: Endgame” has officially surpassed the $2 billion mark in its second weekend in theaters, obliterating the record for the fastest film to reach that milestone.

“Avengers: Endgame” is now the second-highest grossing movie of all time with $2.188 billion globally, passing “Titanic” in just 11 days. It took “Avatar,” the previous record-holder for quickest film to $2 billion, 47 days to reach that benchmark.

“Avengers: Endgame” is one of only five films to ever cross $2 billion in ticket sales, joining the company of “Avatar” ($2.78 billion), “Titanic” ($2.187 billion), “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ($2.06 billion), and “Avengers: Infinity War” ($2.04 billion).

The tentpole has earned $620 million at the domestic box office, becoming the 9th biggest title ever in North America. Overseas, “Endgame” has amassed a monster $1.56 billion, with $575 million of that bounty coming from China.

The epic finale to the current phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe got off to a record-breaking start last weekend when it debuted with a stunning $1.2 billion worldwide, including $357 million in North America.

Anthony and Joe Russo returned to direct “Avengers: Endgame,” the 22nd installment in the MCU. It picks up directly following “Avengers: Infinity War,” another box office behemoth that left Earth’s Mightiest Heroes scrambling after Thanos (Josh Brolin) eliminated half of life in the universe.

The superhero blockbuster stars Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Chris Evans as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Paul Rudd as Ant-Man.

Source: Variety.com

3 FACTORS TO NOTE WHEN CHOOSING A VIDEO CARD

2019-04-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

A new version of your favorite game has been released, but does your computer show a slide show instead of an exciting experience? You need to deal with professional graphics software, but does the machine's slowness make you less productive? So it's time to update your video card. In this article, you will know 3 factors that should be taken into consideration when choosing a new graphics card.

1. WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS?

In most cases, the middle line - that is, graphics cards in the range of $ 800.00 - are more than enough for the average consumer. With them, you can play most current games on your PC in a good configuration, and you can improve the performance of software such as Photoshop. Our indication today for video card for gaming is the GTX 1050 4GB IT, a video card that has a great cost benefit and already allows to run almost all games.

But if you're keen to play the latest games in full quality games, a high-end video card is the best option. The extra expense may startle at first glance, but it is largely offset by the longevity of the hardware, which often outgrows the cycle of the most modern video game consoles.
Now if you are a professional who needs to deal with heavy graphics software such as AutoCAD, Revit, Solidworks, After Effects and many others, the best choice is undoubtedly the video cards of the Quadro line from Nvidia. Developed in conjunction with the world's largest software companies, they deliver superior performance, high accuracy and durability.

2. WHAT DOES THE VIDEO CARD OFFER?

Currently, the companies that dominate the market for graphics cards are AMD and Nvidia. Both produce good options for both work and fun purposes - and the choice of the brand does not make so much difference if the models are equivalent.

Of all the elements that configure a graphics card, what you should take into account is the number of processing cores (CUDA Cores in the case of Nvidia or Stream Processors in AMD models).
The more RAM your video card has, the more data and textures will be processed by the graphics chip. However, be aware of factors such as - 256-bit interfaces outweigh 128-bit interfaces - and the RAM type - DDR3 models have lower performance than GDDR5.

Do not be fooled by older video cards, always strive to acquire a state-of-the-art model, many companies still advertise old boards with a high bandwidth (128, 256, 384 bits) as if they were still powerful.

Also note the differences in hardware between Quadro and Geforce video cards, often frames have a lower number of cuda colors compared to Geforce video cards.

But that's not to say that professional boards have poor performance, as their drivers are optimized for professional applications such as AutoCAD, Revit, SolidWorks (among many other software), it can deliver far superior performance with lower hardware, allowing -to be more warm up less and be more stable.

In some software, such as the Siemens NX, a 2GB P600 Quadro can deliver 3x performance over an 11GB Geforce GTX 1080 video card, so it's always good to check which video card is recommended by the software manufacturer or ask for help from our experts to help you choose the best option. Already software with Lumion, which has a game graphics engine, has superior performance with a Geforce GTX 1070 TI compared to a P4000 Quadro.

Finally, note the outputs that the card offers to connect the computer to an external monitor. Most current models have HDMI and DVI connections, but some already offer DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort output. Escape models that offer only the old VGA output: the technology is already outdated and transmits only the analogue image, with a considerable quality loss in the image.

3. IS YOUR HARDWARE COMPATIBLE?

Any video card may have compatibility issues, especially if your machine is older. Common problems include such things as the power supply and the size of the board itself - it may not even fit in your cabinet.

Overall, intermediate video cards of the moment require a PCI Express x16 slot, and you'll have to measure the distance from that slot to any component that might interfere with your graphics card. So check the GPU dimensions, which can be checked on the manufacturer's website, and make sure you have a little extra space around.

Also check if the board will need an external power supply. Some low-cost boards get enough power from the PCI port on your motherboard, while others require you to connect to the power supply of the machine. If you need to use more power, your source will need to use the proper cables or you will have to find an adapter.

Finally, make sure that there is enough power to maintain good computer performance . Depending on your choice, you may need to replace your power supply with a more powerful one.