Three members of the Redeemed Baptist Church in Ogbojo – Emerita Professor Eliz­abeth Ardayfio-Schandorf, Mrs Florence Mangwe Hutchful and Mrs Comfort Owusu, were among 22 award recipients for their exceptional contribution to national development at the 10th Ghana Women of Excellence Awards ceremony held in Accra.

The trio were recognised for their exceptional performances in their respective field of endeav­ours.

Emerita Ardayfio-Schandorf is a seasoned geog­rapher and Chairperson of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), Mrs Hutchful comes in as the first President of the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana and Mrs Owusu as the Executive Director of the Association of Rural Banks (ARB) Ghana.

The awards, held on the eve of the Internation­al Women’s Day, is a component of Ghana’s ob­servation of the Day which was under the theme ‘Empowering the Ghanaian woman for National Development.”

The clergy and congregation of the Redeemed Baptist Church says Ayekoo to the award winners.

 Organisers of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) have unveiled nominations for the 26th edition of the awards.

A ceremony to unveil the awards held last Saturday at the Grand Arena was filled with shocks, surprises, and excitement.

The ultimate category, Artiste of the Year will see, Kweku Smoke, Joe Mettle, Team Eternity, King Prom­ise, Black Sherif, King Paluta and reigning champion, Stonebwoy.

King Paluta, King Promise and Stonebwoy

Best New Artiste of the Year, a key category for the emerging talents to make a mark will feature Lali X Lola, Arathejay, Rap Fada, Beeztrap KOTM, and Kwesi Amewugah.

Lovers of gospel music will have a tough time choos­ing Empress Gifty, Joe Mettle, Team Eternity, Piesie Esther, Diana Hamilton or MOG Music as the Gospel Artiste of the Year.

Medikal, Sarkodie, King Paluta, Black Sherif, Kweku Smoke, Beeztrap and Amerado will battle it out for the Best Hiplife/Hip Hop Artiste of the Year crown.

A category which would generate controversy is the Best Rap Performance with a fierce contest between Sarkodie, Okyeame Kwame, Eno Barony, Lyrical Joe, Flowking Stone and Kweku Smoke.

There are other interesting categories like High­life Song of the Year, Telecel Most Popular Song, Male and Female Vocalists of the Year among others up for grabs for the 26th edition of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards.

The reigning Artiste of the Year, Stonebwoy was nominated in the same category again in addition to Album/EP of the Year – “Up and Running”, Best Reg­gae/Dancehall Song – “Psalm 23”, Best Music Video – “Jejereje”, Best Reggae Dancehall Artiste, Interna­tional Collaboration of the Year – “Ekelebe” featuring OdumoduBlvck, “Jiggle And Whine” featuring Spice, and Most Popular Song – “Jejereje”.

This year’s edition of Ghana’s biggest music night comes off on May 3, 2025, at the Accra International

 By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

 THE National Film Authority (NFA) has reaffirmed its commitment to foster a thriving and globally competitive film industry at a high-lev­el stakeholder engagement in Accra.

The meeting marked the first official interaction between the newly appoint­ed leadership of the NFA and key indus­try players, providing an opportunity to discuss challenges, explore solutions, and strengthen collaboration.

The engagement was led by Mrs Kafui Danku-Pitcher, Executive Secretary of the NFA, and Mr James Timothy Gardin­er, Deputy Executive Secretary.

The discussions focused on introduc­ing the new leadership, gaining insights into the needs of the industry, and laying the groundwork for policies that will drive sustainable growth in Ghana’s film sector.

It drew representatives from major industry associations, including the Ghana Actors’ Guild (GAG), Film Pro­ducers’ Association of Ghana (FiPAG), Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts (GAFTA), Women in Film and Tele­vision, Audio Visual Rights Society of Ghana (ARSOG), Film Crew Association of Ghana (FiCAG), Film Distributors and Marketers, Animators Association of Ghana (AAG), Film Directors Guild of Ghana (FDGG), Northern Region Film­makers Association, and Silverbird Cine­mas (Exhibitors), were in attendance.

Their participation underscored the significance of the dialogue and the industry’s collective interest in shaping its future.

During the discussions, stakeholders raised key challenges affecting the sec­tor, including limited financing for film productions, weak copyright enforce­ment, inadequate capacity-building programmes, and the need for stronger legislative support.

Industry representatives emphasized the urgency to implement the Legisla­tive Instrument (L.I.) to provide legal backing for film sector regulations, including tax incentives and funding structures.

Mr George Bosompem, PRO for GAFTA, highlighted that policy reforms must cater for these concerns to ensure a more structured and enabling envi­ronment for filmmakers.

Another pressing issue discussed was the need for a more streamlined struc­ture for film guilds and associations.

Ken Fiati, Technical Committee Chair­man of the Ghana Actors’ Guild (GAG), stressed the importance of creating a more unified industry with clear opera­tional guidelines.

He also advocated regular training and capacity-building programmes to enhance the skills of actors, producers, and other industry professionals.

Addressing these concerns, Madam Kafui Danku-Pitcher reiterated the NFA’s commitment to open dialogue, strategic policymaking, and foster an environment where all industry players can thrive.

She emphasized that stakeholder en­gagement would remain a priority, en­suring that industry professionals were actively involved in shaping policies and initiatives.

Mr James Timothy Gardiner, Deputy Executive Secretary, assured stakehold­ers of the NFA’s dedication to advocat­ing policies that address their needs.