Lifestyle

Nana Ofosuaa Ayim honoured as ‘Woman of the Year in Cultural Arts’

Published

4 years ago

August 5, 2021

Nana Ofosuaa Ayim honoured as Woman of the Year in Cultural Arts

Nana Ofosuaa Ayim, a well-known writer, filmmaker, and arts historian who is also the founder of the ANO Institute of Arts and Knowledge, has been awarded the ‘Woman of the Year’ in Cultural Arts Award.

She got the award on Sunday night, during a ceremony honoring a number of female leaders who have had a major effect on Ghanaian society.

Nana Ofosuaa Ayim has earned a slew of accolades in recent years, including Woman of the Year.

Okayafrica called her one of the 12 African women creating history in 2016 and one of the 100 women of 2020.

She was also named one of Apollo’s ’40 under 40,’ one of The Africa Report’s 50 African Trailblazers, and a Quartz Africa Innovator in 2017.

She was also honored by LACMA with the 2015 Art & Technology Award and the 2016 AIR Award.

The event recognized Abena Osei-Poku, the MD of Absa Bank Ghana, Doreen Andoh of the Multimedia Group, Shirley A. Botchway, the Foreign Affairs Minister, actress Akofa Edjeani, and musician Becca.

The honorees were chosen by a savvy panel of achievers who applied clear and objective criteria to ensure that the final list included the most deserving women in diverse areas.

Nana Ofosuaa Ayim’s biography

Nana Ofosuaa Ayim is the founder of the ANO Institute of Arts and Knowledge and is a writer, filmmaker, and art historian. She is the founder of the Pan-African Cultural Encyclopaedia, the Mobile Museums Project, and the curator of Ghana’s first pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

Her debut novel, The God Child, was released by Bloomsbury in 2019 and Penguin in German in 2021.

She has created award-winning videos for Tate Modern, LACMA, and The New Museum, among others. She is a lecturer at the Architectural Association in London, where she teaches a history and theory course.

She received the Art & Technology Award from LACMA in 2015; the 2016 AIR Award, which seeks to honor and celebrate extraordinary African artists who are committed to producing provocative, innovative, and socially-engaged work; a 2018 Soros Arts Fellowship; and was appointed to the Advisory Council of Oxford University’s Cultural Programming.

She is presently serving as an unpaid Special Advisor on Museums and Cultural Heritage to Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, where she is monitoring efforts to reform the museum system.

Her major focus is how to make museums relevant to all communities in Ghana, not just a select few, and to transform them into spaces where Ghanaians can see themselves reflected and have their views heard.

She’s traveled the length and width of the nation, speaking with fisherman, weavers, charcoal merchants, farmers, professors, and attorneys, among others, about what they want to see and do.

This will be depicted in a film that will be on Ghanaian television soon. She’s also assembled a team of legal, financial, and structural specialists to examine the present museum environment and propose reforms to establish museums that are appropriate for Ghana.

The study may be seen at www.ghanaheritagefuture.com.

On her website, www.nanaoforiattaayim.com, on Instagram @nanaoforiattaayim, on Twitter @OforiattaAyim, and on Facebook @nanaoayim, you can keep up with her activities.

Lifestyle

Portia Nana Akua Pinamang Weighs in on the Sam George vs. DStv Saga: Consumer Victory or Political Showmanship?

Published

1 month ago

October 5, 2025

Ferty Felix

Ghana’s media space has been buzzing with the high-stakes standoff between Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George and MultiChoice Ghana over DStv’s steep subscription fees. While the drama has sparked heated debates from Parliament to the streets, education advocate and social commentator Portia Nana Akua Pinamang believes the matter goes beyond political muscle-flexing – it’s about the future of consumer rights and regulatory credibility in Ghana.

The Price Hike That Sparked a Showdown

The issue came to a head after MultiChoice introduced a 15% price hike in April 2025, pushing the Premium package to GHS 865 – a figure nearly three times Nigeria’s NGN 43,500 (about GHS 305) and more than double South Africa’s ZAR 576 (around GHS 336). For Portia, this comparison is not only alarming but highlights the inequities Ghanaian subscribers have endured for years. “Ghanaians are not asking for charity; we are demanding fairness. Why should the Ghanaian consumer pay the highest price for the same product across the continent?” she asks.

Minister George quickly moved to confront MultiChoice, invoking regulatory authority through the National Communications Authority (NCA). But Portia cautions that while the Minister’s boldness is commendable, the true test lies in whether these interventions will bring permanent relief or simply serve as political theater.

The Legal Tightrope: What the Law Says

At the heart of the controversy is the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), which regulates the telecommunications and broadcasting sector. Section 25 allows tariffs to be determined by market forces but empowers the NCA to intervene where pricing practices are anti-competitive. Section 6(1)(d) further prohibits actions that stifle competition, including unfair or excessive pricing.

For failing to submit requested pricing data, MultiChoice was hit with daily fines of GHS 10,000 – a move Portia defends as “a necessary step in holding powerful corporations accountable.” Yet she stresses the importance of due process. Under Sections 13 and 72 of Act 775, as well as the National Communications Authority Act, 2008 (Act 769), any license suspension requires 30 days’ notice and a fair hearing. “We cannot afford to cut corners, even when public anger is justified,” Portia warns, pointing to critics who accuse the Minister of ‘bully tactics.’

The lack of a Competition and Fair Trade Practices Bill, 2019, which remains unpassed, has left regulators improvising. Portia describes this as “a dangerous gap that leaves both consumers and businesses in limbo.”

The Bigger Picture: Investor Confidence and International Obligations

Portia is also mindful of the broader implications. MultiChoice is a South African company, and Ghana is bound by both the Ghana-South Africa Bilateral Investment Treaty (1997) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework. These agreements guarantee fair treatment for investors and prohibit measures that could be viewed as disguised expropriation. A suspension of MultiChoice’s license, for example, could trigger costly international disputes.

“Protecting consumers is non-negotiable, but Ghana must also honor its commitments under AfCFTA and the WTO’s GATS rules. Investor confidence is fragile – we need smart regulation, not scare tactics,” she argues.

Beyond the Headlines: What Ghanaians Really Need

On October 1, MultiChoice rolled out new packages with 33–50% more content, touted by the Minister as a win for consumers. But Portia notes that these were only promotional offers valid for three months, not the permanent price cuts that were demanded. The Minority in Parliament has since called for the Minister’s resignation, labeling the episode a waste of time and resources.

For Portia, the lesson is clear: “This is not the time for chest-thumping. It is the time to institutionalize consumer protections. Passing the competition law, empowering the NCA to conduct regular price audits, and ensuring transparency in the pay-TV market will bring lasting results.”