Ghanaian cinema has taken a historic leap as The Fisherman, produced by Kofi Owusu-Afriyie of Luu Vision Media, made its official debut at the prestigious 81st La Biennale Venice Film Festival.
The film, written and directed by Zoey Martinson, marked Ghana’s first official selection at the globally renowned festival, premiering to an enthusiastic sold-out audience and earning a standing ovation.
While it screened out of competition, The Fisherman achieved remarkable acclaim, winning the illustrious Fellini Medal, awarded by UNESCO’s Enrico Fulchignoni Prize.
The prize, now in its 36th year, represents one of the most significant acknowledgments by ICFT-UNESCO, honoring films that best embody the values of peace and tolerance promoted by the organization.
Martinson’s deeply rooted narrative draws from her personal experiences living in Keta, bringing to life a Ghanaian story that beautifully captures resilience, community, and the coastal livelihoods woven into Ghana’s heritage.
Filmed entirely in Ghana, The Fisherman showcases some of Ghana’s most celebrated talents, including Ricky Adeleyitar, Endurance Grand, William Lamptey, and Kiki Romi, alongside Nigeria’s Dulo Harris.
Fred Amugi, Roselyn Ngissah, Dorothy Konadu, Mynna Otoo, Adjeezay, Adwoa Akoto, Princess Fathia Nkrumah, Papa Osei, Andrew Adote, and Shadrack Agyare round out the stellar cast.
Beyond a groundbreaking storyline, The Fisherman shines due to its artistic craftsmanship: cinematography by Adam Carboni, costume design by Gifty Mawuena Sossavi, and production design by Douglas Baiden.
Jasmin Way brings her expertise as the editor, with an evocative score composed by Avi Amon. The film’s impressive visual effects are led by Nurudeen Tahiru and Daria Amai Shelton, with casting by Mawuko Kuadzi.
“The Venice premiere was a surreal moment for us,” said producer Kofi Owusu-Afriyie. “To be here and to witness this story resonate with people from diverse backgrounds is a triumph for Ghanaian cinema and the African film community as a whole.”
Produced by Luu Vision Media, helmed by Owusu-Afriyie and King Luu, alongside Korey Jackson, The Fisherman is currently seeking distribution. For updates on its journey, the film invites audiences to follow its Instagram page at The Fisherman Film.
According to film critics, The Fisherman, with its compelling story, rich cultural insights, and now global acclaim, sets a new standard for Ghanaian cinema on the world stage. The film’s recognition at Venice marks not only a milestone for its creators but a proud moment for Ghana and the entire African film industry.
A huge Maya city has been discovered centuries after it disappeared under jungle canopy in Mexico. Archaeologists found pyramids, sports fields, causeways connecting districts and amphitheatres in the southeastern state of Campeche.
They uncovered the hidden complex – which they have called Valeriana – using Lidar, a type of laser survey that maps structures buried under vegetation.
They believe it is second in density only to Calakmul, thought to be the largest Maya site in ancient Latin America.
The team discovered three sites in total, in a survey area the size of Scotland’s capital Edinburgh, “by accident” when one archaeologist browsed data on the internet.
“I was on something like page 16 of Google search and found a laser survey done by a Mexican organisation for environmental monitoring,” explains Luke Auld-Thomas, a PhD student at Tulane university in the US.
It was a Lidar survey, a remote sensing technique which fires thousands of laser pulses from a plane and maps objects below using the time the signal takes to return.
But when Mr Auld-Thomas processed the data with methods used by archaeologists, he saw what others had missed – a huge ancient city which may have been home to 30-50,000 people at its peak from 750 to 850 AD.
That is more than the number of people who live in the region today, the researchers say.
Mr Auld-Thomas and his colleagues named the city Valeriana after a nearby lagoon.
The find helps change an idea in Western thinking that the Tropics was where “civilisations went to die”, says Professor Marcello Canuto, a co-author in the research.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Tuesday it had taken the Ukrainian town of Selydove, southeast of the key city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.
Russian forces have been advancing on Selydove in the last several weeks, according to frontline reports. It’s part of Russia’s ongoing assault and incremental territorial gains in eastern Ukraine.
Selydove was an important staging area for Ukraine’s defenses and a key foothold to prevent Russia’s advance toward Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia’s claims of control.
On Sunday, a spokesman for a Ukrainian national guard brigade fighting in Selydove told CNN the town had been “constantly attacked from several directions” for a week.
“[Russia] continues to assault with very large troop numbers. They used reserves from the north of the frontline’s Pokrovsk section to increase pressure on Selydove,” 15th brigade national guard spokesman Vitaliy Milovidov said.
“At the same time, the enemy is not destroying the city’s infrastructure,” he added. “Most likely, they want to keep the town as a foothold for themselves in the future. Selydove is a large town where you can accommodate a large number of people and hide equipment.”
Video released by Russian state media TASS on Tuesday reportedly shows troops raising the Russian flag in Selydove.
Russia also continued aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities overnight into Tuesday.
Hezbollah has announced the group’s deputy secretary general will become its new head.
Naim Qassem replaces long-term leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut last month.
He is one of the few senior Hezbollah leaders who remains alive, after Israel killed most of the group’s leadership in a series of attacks.
The appointment comes as the conflict in Lebanon intensified in recent weeks.
For more than 30 years, Naim Qassem was Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general and one of the group’s most recognised faces.
Hezbollah said he was elected by the Shura Council, in accordance with the group’s rules. His whereabouts are unclear, however some reports suggest he has fled to Iran, which is Hezbollah’s main supporter.
He was born in Beirut in 1953 to a family from Lebanon’s south.
Qassem was one of Hezbollah’s founding members and since Nasrallah’s death in an Israeli air strike he has made three televised addresses.
In one speech, he said a ceasefire was the only way Israel could guarantee the return of its residents to the north.
Announcing Qassem’s promotion, Hezbollah released a statement describing him as “bearing the blessed banner in this march”.
The statement also honoured the late Nasrallah and others killed in the conflict.
The new Hezbollah leadership was expected to be passed to cleric Hashem Safieddine, but on 22 October it was revealed that he had been killed in an Israeli air strike nearly three weeks prior.
Reacting to Qassem’s appointment on social media, Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant described it as a “temporary appointment” and “not for long”.
The Member of Parliament for Jomoro Constituency in the Western Region, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, says she may not be fit but is ready to resume her campaign to canvass for votes, ahead of the December 7 presidential and parliamentary election.
The MP, who is recovering from a near-fatal accident on the Takoradi-Cape Coast road, has pledged to embark on what she described as a ‘retail campaign’ to mobilise the people to vote for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming December 7 general elections.
The Jomoro lawmaker was referred to the United States of America (USA) to undergo further medical treatment, after she was involved in a ghastly accident in August.
She was given a rousing welcome at the Kotoka International Airport by jubilant NDC members from her constituency, Members of Parliament, Chiefs and other party faithful upon her return from medical treatment.
Speaking in an interview with The Chronicle, the Jomoro legislator expressed joy after seeing the large crowd, stressing the people were ready to join her to campaign for victory.
She maintained the accident would not stop her from resuming her campaign to ensure an overwhelming victory for NDC.
“I am not fully fit, but seeing this crowd means that it is time to resume my campaign, to sell the policies of the NDC to the people,” she said.
“The accident will not stop me and I am ready to work for the people and my party,” she continued.
Madam Affo-Toffey extended her profound gratitude to the NDC leadership, traditional leaders in her communities and the party supporters for their prayers.
She was optimistic to retain her seat with a huge vote margin and prayed for God’s favour to sail through this difficult time.
A Divisional Chief of Nkroful, Nana Kwasi Kutuah III, has accused the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ellembelle, Kwasi Bonzo, of being complicit in illegal mining activities, popularly known as ‘Galamsey,” which has caused havoc to forests, lands and water bodies in the area.
According to the chief, the DCE has power to stop illegal mining in the area, most especially at Anwia and Taleku-Bokazo, where galamsey has caused grave destruction in the area, but he has turned deaf ears, simply because he was complicit in the trade.
Addressing a press conference in reaction to an earlier one held by the DCE, Nana Kwasi Kutuah, the chief, alleged and recounted on a number of occasions how the DCE came to him to ask him to release land for mining.
According to the chief, DCE Bonzo, together with someone he (DCE) introduced as President of the Small Scale Miners Association, came to his Palace to ask him (Nana) to allow the person to go and mine in his concession.
The chief said he asked the DCE to show the documents covering the said Small Scale President’s concession on his land.
But he could not produce any. As a result, the DCE appealed that the chief to allow him to go and work on his concession, as he tries to secure the documents covering the concession.
In another instance, Nana Kutuah also narrated at the press conference how he stopped the DCE, after the latter allegedly took two excavators to mine for alluvial gold on his land.
“I called to tell him to go and remove the excavators from my land,” the chief narrated.
The Chronicle cannot independently confirm the accusation.
However, the chief’s press conference was in reaction to an earlier one held by the DCE, where he announced that two directors of CIC Impest, a company recommended by the Nkroful Palace to reclaim land around Nkroful Agriculture Senior High School (NASS), have been rounded up by the DCE for engaging in illegal mining.
Three excavators belonging to the said company were seized in addition.
DCE Bonzo, in reaction to the accusation, told this reporter in a telephone interview that CIC Impest was recommended to the Assembly by the Nkroful chief to approve the company (CIC) goes to reclaim destroyed land.
So, as DCE, he referred the said letter from the Nkroful Palace to the Assembly’s Technical Committee, which sat on the letter for six months. That was in 2023.
In approving the request, DCE Bonzo told this reporter that the technical committee instructed that there should not be any mining activity in the area.
However, the company flouted the directive given, and on October 6, 2024 two directors were arrested for engaging in illegal mining.
DCE Bonzo told this reporter that he could not understand why Nkroful Palace and the Chief would take offence over the arrest of the two directors of CIC, for them to accuse him of being complicit in illegal mining.
DCE Bonzo confirmed that he took the National President of the Small Scale Miners Association to meet the Nkroful chief, over the former’s concession in the area. But it is not correct that the president did not have documents covering his concession.
Nana Kwasi Kutuah explained howthe two CIC directors were arrested. He said when the Assembly gave approval for CIC to reclaim the land, the Company Director asked how the Assembly would fuel their equipment for the exercise, and the DCE reportedly told them that any material they found whilst desilting should be processed to take care of their fuel for the exercise.
Bonzo also denied that the Nkroful chief had formed a task force with the intent of arresting and seizing mining equipment.
According to DCE, who is DISEC Chairman, he was not aware of the Taskforce, nor was he aware of the Police.
The chief had told the conference a task force formed by his palace had succeeded in arresting and seizing mining equipment used by the illegal miners. He also informed the conference that the Task Force had received support from the District Assembly.
Residents of Koforidua Effiduase, in the New Juaben North Municipality of the Eastern Region were shocked to see a newborn baby abandoned in a gutter, close to the St. Joseph Hospital Junction in the early hours of Tuesday.
The newly born baby abandoned in a gutter close to the St. Joseph Hospital Junction in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to pieces of information gathered by this paper, the baby was found in a folded black polythene bag with its umbilical cord and placenta attached. The baby seems to have been abandoned immediately after delivery.
A resident who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity indicated that the baby was found dead in the gutter on Tuesday morning, adding that “I suspect the unknown mother might have abandoned the baby right after delivery.”
He further said, the baby has since been retrieved from the gutter and taken to the St. Joseph Hospital.
The by-stander attributed the situation to young mothers who are unable to provide for the baby due to poverty, or stigma surrounding teen pregnancies,or fear of societal reprimand and also lack of social support systems.
The residents have called on parents to demonstrate high level of parental responsibility, as well as raising awareness, improving access to reproductive health services and providing support systems for vulnerable families.
They further called on community organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations to promote adoption and foster care as alternatives.
As at the time of filing this report, the case was yet to be reported to the police in order to establish the circumstances that led to the incident, as well as identify the status of the unknown mother.
Infant abandonment has become prevalent in Ghana over the years.It is a criminal offence under Section 96 of the Criminal Offences Act of Ghana and the Children Act 1998.
When you think about possible sources of hearing loss, perhaps you think about accidents, loud noises, or explosives. However, the most common cause of hearing loss is headphone use. There are ways that you can protect your ears from headphone damage, though.
What Are the Risks of Headphones?
In-ear headphones are much louder than any sound that would naturally occur so close to the inner-workings of your ear. The sound waves emitted by the earbuds cause your eardrum to vibrate. The waves of vibration can travel through a series of small bones and permeate to a part of the ear called the cochlea.
The cochlea is a chamber in the ear that is filled with fluid and has hairs on the outside of it. The headphones vibrate the liquid and move the hairs. The louder your music is, the more vigorous the vibrations will be. The stronger the vibrations are, the more your hairs will move.
If you listen to loud sounds too often or for too long, the hairs of the cochlea lose their sensitivity to vibrations. Some noises may even make your cells change shape and fold over. Sometimes it takes your ears time to recover. If you have ever been to a deafening concert and had temporary hearing loss, this is the cause.
Sometimes, though, your ears do not recover. This is called lasting hearing loss, and there is no cure.
Headphones do damage in almost the same way that loud noises do. However, their impact is felt more gradually over a long period of time. If you listen to loud music every day, the hairs on your cochlea will start to fold and cause hearing loss. Often, the hairs will bend so severely that the damage can become permanent.
While loud noises through your headphones are certainly not great for your hearing, listening to headphones at an average level over a long period of time can also damage your hearing. This is true of all sounds that can cause hearing loss: duration matters just as much as loudness.
How Do I Use Headphones Safely?
You will damage your ears faster if you regularly listen to louder sounds for long periods. The first thing you can do to decrease the chances of hearing loss is listen to your headphones at lower volume. This can be done either by turning the volume down on the devices themselves or the device you are listening to them with.
Additionally, here are some other ways you can help protect your ears:
Buy Over-the-ear Headphones. Over-the-ear headphones give your earbuds an extra little bit of distance from the noise source. Scientists say that this distance is crucial in reducing hearing damage.
Noise-Canceling Headphones. Often you use your headphones at a high volume to drown out other noises. Noise-canceling headphones lower the volume of all external sounds and allow you to listen to your music at a lower level without ambient noise overpowering it.
Reducing the time you listen on headphones. This is another good way to help your ears. If you notice yourself listening to your headphones for most of the day, try reducing it little by little. A good rule is to not listen to anything louder than 60% of its potential volume for longer than 60 minutes: the 60-60 rule.
Avoid using earbuds if you are trying to prevent permanent hearing loss. Using earbuds is like putting tiny speakers in your ear and is the least safe way to listen to music.
Summary
Just because you listen to music on your headphones does not mean that you will get hearing loss. However, it is more common than you may think. By following a few simple guidelines, you can help reduce the potential for lifelong hearing loss.
Remember to listen to your headphones on a moderate to low volume, use over-the-ear and noise-canceling headphones, and try to reduce the amount of time that you listen to your headphones.
If you think you may have damage to your hearing from headphones, be sure to see your doctor or a qualified specialist as soon as possible. While the damage may be permanent, you can always get hearing aids.
This weekend marks 75 years since Prempeh College was founded. The 75th anniversary of Prempeh College is not a mere count of years gone by but a celebration that is a testament to a legacy of academic excellence, resilience, and visionary ambition. Since its founding in 1949, Prempeh College has stood as a beacon of academic brilliance and moral integrity, shaping young men into leaders who defy odds and challenge norms.
From the North Pole to the South Pole, and from the East to the West, Prempeh College Old Boys Associations (Amafour) will gather to commemorate this landmark anniversary. His Excellency, the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo-Addo, and the Asantehene, His Royal Majesty Otumfour Osei Tutu, will honour the occasion with their presence.
A Legacy of Excellence and Heritage
Prempeh College was established through the collaborative effort between the Asanteman, the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches in Ghana, and the British colonial government. Named after Asantehene Otumfuo Nana Sir Agyeman Prempeh I, the school sits in the heart of Garden City, on the beautiful Sofoline landscape in Kumasi. Its distinctive green symbolizes both vitality and peace—a harmony that has shaped the school’s philosophy for decades.
The mission to cultivate young men who are academically sharp, morally upright, and socially responsible has produced countless graduates who have made significant contributions to Ghana and beyond. From Kumasi to Kyoto, Accra to Atlanta, Walewale to Wall Street, and Sunyani to Silicon Valley, Prempeh College Old Boys include distinguished professionals, scientists, public servants, and entrepreneurs who continue to elevate the school’s reputation worldwide.
Prempeh College
I fondly recall, when we joined the school in 1993, our headmaster urged us to let the school “pass through” us, rather than merely passing through it. Those who chose the former went on to embody the school’s motto: Suban ne NimdeƐ—Character and Integrity.Our then Headmaster R.T Sackey was a strict disciplinarian. Though we spent less than three years at the school, but the school shaped us for good. It was really a watershed moment for many of us.
Academic Excellence: Defying Gravity
For 75 years, Prempeh College has stood at the forefront of Ghanaian education, excelling in academics, athletics, science, technology, and even politics. Prempeh has produced more scientists and engineers for Ghana than any other high school, a fact highlighted by the prestigious rankings at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where Prempeh College freshmen consistently stand out.
Since the inception of the National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ) in 1994, Prempeh was the first school to win the trophy in 1994. For nearly three decades Prempeh College and PRESEC have dominated the NMSQ trophies. Wherever Prempeh College goes, it becomes like Julius Caeser’s “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
When it comes to robotics, Prempeh College is not in a domestic league with any school in the country, but rather the school competes on the international stage and wins gold all the time. This year, the school won the Global title of the World Robotics Olympiad, Unkown Mission Challenge (UMC) 2024 in the USA. Prempeh College is the first secondary institution in Ghana and Africa to win the World Robofest 2016 beating China, Japan, and other G7 Countries.
Prempeh College’s achievements reflect its commitment to intellectual rigor and high standards, proving that academic excellence is both an art and a science to be continually perfected.
Athletics and Beyond: Challenging Assumptions
The Prempeh College team won Unknown Mission Challenge at 2024 World Robotics Olympiad
Prempeh College is formidable not only in academics but also in sports and extracurricular activities. The school has won multiple national athletic championships, embodying its philosophy that education extends beyond the classroom. By developing young men who are physically, mentally, and socially capable, Prempeh challenges conventional notions of what it means to be a top-tier school. Prempeh College demonstrates that the intellectual can also be athletic, the diligent can be daring, and the scholarly can be spirited.
A Diamond Jubilee with Purpose
The theme of the 75th Anniversary, “Celebrating 75 Years of Outstanding Leadership and Service to Society,” encapsulates both the past achievements and future aspirations of Prempeh College. The school is dedicated to ongoing progress, investing in teaching resources and infrastructure to prepare its students for the challenges of the next century. Old students are leading the way in expanding infrastructure at the school. If you’re searching for the next global innovator or future President of Ghana, you’ll likely find them at Prempeh College.
Continuing the Legacy
The legacy of the Founding Fathers lives on, supported by the vision and hard work of headmasters from Rev. S. N. Pearson (1949-53) to Rev. Lewis Asare, whose stewardship has fortified the school’s success and sustainability. The Founding Fathers would be proud to see that the school they established has grown into a “City on a Hill,” inspiring generations. They would be happy to see the school dominating the national headlines. They would be happy to see that the School has produced His Excellency John Agyekum Kuffour, Honourable Dr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, Dr. Kwabena Duffour, Prof Otchere Addai-Mensah and other numerous distinguished alumni.
From its modest beginnings in 1949 to its status as a leading institution, Prempeh College stands strong, ever-ready to elevate its legacy of defiance of expectation, excellence, and dynamism.
For more than 75 years, Prempeh College’s lamp of academic excellence has never dimmed, nor has its commitment to character faltered. Like an eternal flame shining through the ever-changing tides of time, Prempeh College will continue to lead, set standards, and stand as the SI Unit of academic excellence, integrity, and leadership. The school lives by the Latin maxim, non scholae sed vitae—not for school, but for life.
By Snr Appiah Kusi Adomako Esq
Editor’s Note: The writer is an old student from Prempeh College (Guggisberg House, 1995)
