Speaking to voters during her Ashanti regional campaign tour, Mrs. Bawumia argued that her husband’s success as Vice President, despite the constitutional limits on his role, is a testament to his leadership abilities and makes him the ideal candidate for the top job.

She says a vote for Dr. Bawumia will unleash the country’s potential going through digitalization and job creation.

Hajia Samira Bawumia, started her Ashanti Regional campaign tour with an engagement with the Muslim and Zongo communities in the Offinso Constituency.

The campaign is to strengthen the party’s base in the Region with a focus on securing victory in the December 7 polls.

Addressing voters, Samira Bawumia emphasized that her husband’s success as Vice President has been evident in the many development projects he has championed.

“Bawumia is intelligent and has bold solutions. He has several initiatives like the women’s fund and the SME Bank. He is also introducing the 1 million digital jobs. Bawumia as vice president has served well with several ideas.” she said.

She appealed to voters to vote for Dr. Bawumia as a reward for his achievements as Vice President.

“There have been several Vice Presidents but Dr. Bawumia stands out. His work is unprecedented. The constitution gives him no power but he has succeeded. You named him Mr. Digital so he has digital solutions” she added.

Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako urged voters to protect policies introduced by the party by voting for Dr.Bawumia.

“If there is a change of government, developmental projects stall. So all our projects will stall if you vote for Mahama. If he wins, he intends to cancel FREE SHS.” he said.

The tour is expected to end on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

The event kicked off with Hajia Samira paying a courtesy call on Muslim leaders at the Mosque at ‘Pipe Ano’, a suburb of Takoradi.

After this, she addressed a large and energized crowd gathered at Effiakuma Zongo, at a location known as ‘VIP.’

In her speech, Hajia Samira underscored the critical importance of the upcoming 2024 general elections, framing it as a vote for the future and progress of Ghana. She urged the residents of Effia to vote massively for Dr Bawumia and Isaac Boamah Nyarko, the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for the constituency.

“Ghana’s future will be better if Dr Mahamudu Bawumia becomes president,” she stated, adding that her husband’s leadership will ensure the continuity of the NPP government’s initiatives.

She praised Dr Bawumia’s competence, dedication, and innovative approach, which she believes makes him the ideal candidate to lead Ghana forward.

Hajia Samira also highlighted the numerous social interventions introduced by the NPP government, particularly the Free Senior High School policy, which has significantly impacted many households across the country. Drawing from her personal experiences, she emphasized the transformative power of education.

“I was born and nurtured in the Zongo, and if it hadn’t been for education, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she said, noting that the Free SHS policy aims to give every child the opportunity to succeed, just as she did.

Addressing misconceptions about the NPP, Hajia Samira pointed out the party’s commitment to inclusivity, which is evidenced by Dr Bawumia’s historic candidacy. “The opposition NDC used to say that the NPP is a political party for only the Akans, but the party has shown that this is not true by electing Dr Bawumia as its flagbearer,” she said.

She continued, “It is only under the NPP government that the country has seen Muslims becoming Vice Presidents and Insha Allah, come December 7, Dr Bawumia will be the next President.”

The Second Lady expressed her confidence that the Zongo communities would vote massively for Dr Bawumia, not just because he is a Muslim, but because he is competent, knowledgeable, and has a vision to transform the country.

The NPP’s Parliamentary Candidate for Effia, Isaac Yaw Boamah Nyarko, also addressed the crowd, describing Dr Bawumia as a humble and hardworking leader. He praised the Vice President for spearheading various digitalization initiatives and vowed to transform the Effia constituency into a stronghold for the NPP in the 2024 general elections.

“I believe Effia has the potential to give not less than 70 per cent of the total votes to the NPP,” Nyarko asserted, rallying the constituents to support their candidates in the upcoming elections.

The event concluded with loud cheers and chants in support of the NPP, as the crowd demonstrated their commitment to backing Dr Bawumia and the party’s Parliamentary Candidate in the Effia constituency.

As the election season heats up, Hajia Samira’s visit has undoubtedly bolstered the NPP’s campaign efforts in the Western Region, leaving a strong impression on the constituents of Effia.

Source: Myjoyonline

Ghana has a rich history of textile production, pre-dating colonial times. In ancient times, yards of fabric were spun from raw materials such as cotton and raffia using traditional wooden looms. These looms are still in use today to create iconic Ghanaian fabrics like kente and gonja cloth.

In the late 1970s, the textile industry was vibrant, with 16 large companies employing about 25,000 people and contributing to 27% of total manufacturing employment. However, by 2005, many of the textile companies had folded up, leaving only four major surviving ones: Ghana Textile Manufacturing Company (GTMC), Akosombo Textile Limited (ATL), Ghana Textile Product (GTP), and Printex. These surviving companies now have a combined workforce of just 2,961 workers.

I recall that during President John Kufuor’s tenure, he made several efforts to revive the industry. The easiest that comes to mind is when he designated Friday as “Wear Ghana” day for civil servants and the general worker population. That really caught on. He also leveraged trade agreements like the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) for duty-free exports to the US and EU markets to promote more “Made in Ghana” products.

However, the rising production costs of African fabric wear and the high importation and sales of second-hand clothing, made it difficult for Ghanaians to generally appreciate African fabric.

In recent times, one influential person who has championed the use of Ghanaian and African textiles and has indeed helped to bring attention to the industry and to attract and boost the fashion industry is Samira Bawumia, the wife of Ghana’s Vice President, H.E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Mrs. Bawumia has, in recent times, made a significant impact on Ghana’s textile and fashion industry through her consistent choice of African prints as attire for public functions. This has had a significant impact on young people who look up to her.
Through her fashion choices, Mrs. Bawumia not only celebrates African culture but also encourages young people to embrace their heritage. The vibrant African prints she wears symbolize resilience, creativity, and pride. By doing so, she sends a powerful message: our roots matter, and we can blend tradition with modernity to create positive change.

Samira Bawumia’s choice of African prints as her attire for public functions resonates deeply with young people, fostering a sense of identity, pride, and responsibility. As they emulate her, they not only embrace their cultural heritage but also contribute to the global fight against climate change and sustainable development.

The industry has contributed to the growth of the economy by creating value-chain employment and generating revenue through the production and sale of fashion products.

As of 2020, the National Identification Authority’s (NIA) data captured over 260,000 people in the tailors, sewers, and dressmakers category, giving an overview of what the fashion sector looked like as well as its potential for scale-up.

There are diverse apparel outlets, such as physical shops, boutiques, open-air markets, and online shops (social media and web stores), involved in the sale of ready-to-wear (RTW). The value chain of the industry is enormous – from technical and industrial players to research, ICT, and human resources to finance, procurement, and transportation, among others. These players are found at all levels of the textile and apparel value chain.

I spoke to one young fashion designer in Accra to know his thoughts on Samira’s influence on the fashion scene in Ghana. “Madam Samira has been instrumental in showcasing the Ghanaian fashion industry to the international community. Samira amazed us with her incredible clothing, which was primarily created from smocks and Ghanaian fabric while remaining faithful to her sense of style,” he told me.

“We adore Samira because she has significantly contributed to the rise in popularity of Ghanaian fabric, which has influenced the designs of many fashion designers, including us.”

Samira Bawumia has captured hearts and minds with her crisp fashion style, since being thrust into the public eye heading into the 2016 general election when New Patriotic Party presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo made her husband, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, his running mate,

By consistently wearing African prints, she showcases the beauty, versatility, and cultural significance, as well as the rich heritage of Ghanaian textiles. By wearing locally-made designs, she encourages others to appreciate and embrace African prints, fostering a sense of pride and identity.

Mrs. Bawumia skillfully combines luxury items with Ghanaian brands. Her preference for homegrown fashion labels has elevated their visibility and market appeal. Her endorsement of local designers has led to increased demand for their creations, benefiting the entire textile and fashion ecosystem and boosting local brands.

Notable designers and stylists behind her dazzling outfits include Pistis Ghana, Yartel, Stylista, Sima Brew, Debbie Designs, among others.

Another giant in the field is the Ankara Affair. Samira skillfully merges contemporary designs with traditional African prints, and her affinity for Ankara fabrics is evident.

Ahead of Ghana’s 67th Independence Day celebration, fashion enthusiasts, industry players, fashion critics, and Ghanaians will be looking forward to seeing what the Second Lady of Ghana will wear. Her consistency and unique style of fashion at the independence parade have, over the years, been applauded by many. While her style has been described as elegant and modern, she still stays true to traditional Ghanaian fashion.

She is expected to dazzle thousands of visitors and fashion enthusiasts with her high fashion sense at the celebration. The Second Lady of Ghana is the epitome of a classy African woman, as she manages to look stylish at any state event in African print.

Samira was spotted dressed in a colourful African print with a touch of silky print.

The dress was made in different shades of blue and army green.

Posting the pictures on her official Facebook page, the second lady described her husband’s performance as “brilliantly gave an account of Ghana’s State of the Economy”.

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Check out the photos below:

According to Hajia Samira, Mr Ramadan, who is a National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Adentan constituency, is the first of her six siblings.

Speaking in an interview on the International Women’s Day edition of Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, she said she is the second child of the family and the only female.

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She added the political background of her family has placed her other siblings in different parties including the People’s National Congress though it was her wish they were all in the New Patriotic Party.

She said there is, however, no division among her siblings despite the different parties they belong to.

To Hajia Samira who believes she is a good cook, she is always on time in making Dr Bawumia’s meals and serves it hot by the time he gets home.

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Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, the Second Lady revealed her husband’s favourite food is cocoyam with garden eggs stew.

According to her, he enjoys this delicacy and does not waste time in eating to his satisfaction anytime he comes across it.

She added aside the cocoyam and garden eggs stew, Dr Bawumia also like a special delicacy in his hometown Walewale which is known as “bra” which is groundnut soup mixed with some local leaves.

According to Hajia Samira, though women bring a different and unique leadership style, they have not been empowered economically for the political front.

Speaking on the International Women’s Day edition of Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Hajia Samira stressed she was not satisfied with women’s participation.

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“Women deal with compassion in governance which make them unique while men focus on strength but it seems society has a different perception about women when they are in power,” she lamented.

To her, the traditional roles of women sometimes become a hindrance to women who may need the validation and permission of their husbands to venture into politics.

She further stressed that “women are found in such places not because they don’t want to but because politics is expensive, unforgiving and brutal.”

Meanwhile, she urged woman’s participation must be encouraged to bring about the vital diversity Ghana requires.  

According to her, they were introduced to each other by mutual friends, years after she completed her tertiary education at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2000.

Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Monday, Hajia Samira disclosed their story was that of love at first sight even though Dr Bawumia was not straight forward with his intentions.

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“He was never straight to the point about his feelings but I knew he was overly in love when we got to know each other,” she said.

The Second Lady further stressed they got married on February 14, 2004 and are blessed with three boys and one girl.

“I am grateful to the professionals present, for their timely intervention after I succumbed to the heat at the conference venue. Thank you all for the well-wishes,” she said hours after Tuesday’s reported accident. 

According to the graphic, “ the opening ceremony of the 17th Biennial Delegates Congress, of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) at Dodowa.., came to an abrupt end, due to the inability of the keynote Speaker, Mrs Samira Bawumia to continue with her address.”

Having requested for water during her delivery “she complained of dizziness and was momentarily seen going down.”

The report added that “her aides and security detail rushed to hold her and administered the necessary first aid whilst the perimeter was cordoned off.

“Mrs Bawumia was cordoned off and later conveyed to one of the vehicles before the convoy moved out of the hotel,” the graphic recounted. 

The GRNMA congress was held at the Forest Hotel at Dodowa in Accra November 25. 

The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves project focuses on improving health and environment through encouraging changes in cooking methods and types of stoves used in developing countries to pollute less and reduce indoor air pollution.

According to the World Health Organization, 4.3 million people a year die from health problems attributable to exposure to smoke from solid fuel stoves.

The non-profit Alliance was announced in 2010 by then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

They also provide grants for research and initiatives that support the aims of the Alliance, advocate for international standards for stove manufacturers and coordinate research and knowledge of the issues surrounding the use of clean cookstoves.

The organization is supported by governments, corporations, foundations, civil society, investors, and individuals.

The wife of Vice President announced her appointment on her Facebook account.

“I am honoured to be named ambassador for the United Nations’ Foundation Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. I am passionate about seeing to it that the essential task of cooking does not result in death. I would like for us all to join in the drive to reduce the harmful effects of cooking with firewood and charcoal. No life should be lost through cooking.

“I look forward to engaging all stakeholders in this regard. Thank you all very much.”

On arrival in Tema, she paid a courtesy call on the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Nii Anang-La, who accompanied her on the visit together with the Metro Director of Education, Margaret Frimpong and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema Central, Kofi Brako.

Her first port of call was the Rammaniya Islamic Primary School at Tema Community 12 where she was met on arrival by the headmistress, Zuweira Abubakar.

Interacting with the pupils, Mrs Bawumia emphasized the need for the children to focus on their education since it is the best way to secure their future.

She stressed the government and President Akufo-Addo’s commitment to see every Ghanaian child attain the highest point of education, hence the introduction of the ‘Free Senior High School’ programme to enable every Ghanaians child acquire secondary education.

“It has been proven that a nation that is educated is the most likely to develop so we don’t want anybody to be left behind,” she assured.

Among the several concerns that Ms Zuweira Abubakar spoke about were the issues of electricity to enable the teaching of Information Communication Technology (ICT), insecurity and lack of a canteen.

The MCE disclosed measures being put in place to provide those amenities.

Nii Anang-La said the assembly was in talks with the several industries in Tema for them to adopt schools in the area.

Everywhere she went, Samira presented the pupils with bags full of assorted gifts, including exercise books, pencils, drinks, toilet soaps, tooth paste and tooth brushes.

From there, the second lady and her team moved to Kotobabi 2 – along the Spintex road – where the headmistress, Veronica Ghartey, among other things, complained that the community had literally taken over the school’s toilet and playing field.

They went to Ashaiman where she was met on arrival by the MCE, Albert Boakye Okyere, who took the team to the Ashaiman cluster of schools.

Teaching and learning was almost brought to an abrupt end when news of Samira’s arrival went round.

Pupils run out of their classrooms to catch a glimpse of the second lady.

At a point, she could not but ask the teachers to allow the excited children come to her.

She and members of her delegation had hectic time leaving the school premises as the pupils followed them to their vehicles.

Back in Accra, Mrs Bawumia visited pupils in her neighbourhood – the Kanda cluster of schools – where she was obviously humbled by the kind of reception she was accorded by the pupils.

One boy became astounded when Samira’s name was mentioned and introduced as the wife of the vice president.

She also urged the pupils to take their studies seriously since it would immensely determine who they become in the near future.

In what looks like a response to these critics, Samira Bawumia has advised local movie producers to learn from strategies of the foreign movie industries that have given them the upper hand.
“We have to learn from their successes. What is making them exciting? What is making them interesting and learn from them and improve upon what they are doing,” she told Joy News’ Maxwell Amoofia.
According to her, these foreign producers have been able to meet the demands of consumers in Ghana hence their dominance on the Ghanaian market.
Samira Bawumia believes that there is no need for total overhaul of the movie industry but rather adopt tactics of foreign counterparts to enhance our industry.
“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. I believe that you learn from others who are doing well…It is a competitive market and we have to rise to the occasion and know what our viewers want,” Samira Bawumia reckoned.
She also encouraged local producers to strive to meet the expectations of movie lovers in ensuring that Ghanaian movies become competitive on the global market.

 

Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama, allegedly mistaken as an armed robber, was lynched and burnt in the Central Region by some angry youth on Monday morning.

On her Facebook wall today, the second lady said:

“I am deeply saddened and truly horrified at the murder of Captain Mahama. No human being should be subjected to such barbaric acts! My heart bleeds for his family and loved ones. May they find peace and comfort. I pray the perpetrators are brought to book soon…”

She observed that the culture of reading seems to be dying and there is no significant difference between an illiterate an educated person who does not read.

The special guest of honour, speaking at the launch of Joy FM’s investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awune’s book, ‘Letters To My Wife’ Wednesday, Mrs Bawumia noted that the current generation rather spends time on social media and are not fond of reading, a phenomenon she says poses a threat to the history of Africa.

“African literature should not be allowed to age and die with the likes of Efua Sutherland, Ama Ata Aidoo, Chinua Achebe and a host of ageing literary giants,” she told the hundreds of patrons at the Christ the King Parish auditorium in Accra.

“These writers chronicled the history of Africa’s colonization, our independence struggle and our sense for self-identity. The life of the contemporary African in the 21st century and our place in the global village must be told in both fiction and non-fiction. Nobody can tell our story better than ourselves,” she noted.

‘Letters To My Wife’ is a collection of 30 of some of the letters one of Ghana’s foremost investigative journalist wrote to his imaginary wife-to-be, Serwaa, before he eventually wedded his real wife Rebecca Eduafo-Abraham last year.

Mrs Bawumia who said she is awed by Manasseh Azuri’s writing prowess spoke about the real nature of the letters adding the writer brings home everyday relationship issues.

“I’m particularly intrigued by the book, ‘Letters to My Future Wife’ because of a number of reasons. Manasseh is a very good storyteller who uses everyday experiences to creatively tell compelling stories about the meaning of life and its intricacies.

“Even if you disagree with the content, you are still entertained by the writer’s dexterity and the quality of what you read. I also find this publication interesting because of the enormous lessons it presents to its readers.

“This book contains lessons for the single and the married, the young and the old, the naïve and experienced as well as any open-minded person who is ready to learn from the experiences of others.” she added.

The UK-trained millinery and clutch designer is one of the country’s best. She is the designer behind the clutch used by Samira Bawumia to complete her beautiful outfit and headpiece during the ‘Ghana 60 years On’ parade on March 6.

She told NEWS-ONE in an exclusive interview over the weekend that it is a great opportunity for her to design for the vice president’s wife.

According to her, it always feels special when such high-profile personalities in the society approach her for business.

“It makes us feel special because before people of that nature come to you, they know, I mean they look out for you. So making a choice to come for you, then they know they are coming for a good quality stuff,” she said.

An unparalleled figure in Ghana’s fashion scene, Velma Owusu Bempah is a distinguished milliner and women’s clutch and jewellerry designer for over a decade.

She is unique and known for her effortless take on glamour.

The CEO of Velma’s Millinery & Accessories has built a thriving and successful business, operating from Sarah’s Fabrics building in the heart of Osu, Accra, where she offers her clients impeccable hats or fascinators and the best of accessories for women.

She is respected for her comprehensive style, exceptional taste and expertise accessible to her growing audience.

As a young Bsc Marketing graduate from the University of Ghana Business School in 2004, Velma was inspired by her mother, Sarah Crossland, to go after her passion to become one of the world’s celebrated bags, jewellery and millinery designers.

In 2005, she then enrolled at the Central St Martin’s School of Arts& Designs, an affiliate of London School of Arts, where she took courses in millinery, bag designing and communication.

Having completed, she returned to Ghana to establish what is now known as the Velma’s Millinery & Accessories in 2006.

She has so far endeared herself as a trusted curator of style and image to her many celebrity clients and high-profile personalities.

“Every Ghanaian or African woman deserves to stand out on their own and be unique…my thing is every woman that comes to me should stand out,” she said is the inspiration behind every work she does.

“I do a lot of sourcing; I mean putting raw materials together and all that. For just a piece, I need to do a whole lot of collections. When a client gets a clutch from me, I can’t do the same thing for another person,” the mother of two beautiful daughters added.

On top of her tall clients list are Anita Erskine, Sandra Ankobiah, Juliet Ibrahim, Shirley Frimpong- Manso, Joselyn Dumas, among others.

Aside designing a clutch for Samira Bawumia, she also has clients in South Africa, UK, Ivory Coast and other countries.

Velma collaborates with other respected fashion designers, including her sister Ophelia Crossland by designing millinery or fascinators, clutches or bags and jewelleries to complement their collections.

Her first clutch collection was called Ankara collection and then she followed with Royal collection, which were made of kente. She also did metallic and semi-precious stone collections. She most often designs clutch bags and she is unique at it in different shapes; be it box, oval or envelope shapes.

She will be releasing her latest collection at the 2017 edition of ‘Rythms On Da Runway’ fashion event.

“I don’t repeat clutches or bags. Unless someone stresses me to do something similar,” she revealed, adding her products are affordable, depending on what a client wants.

“Velma’s Millinery & Accessories is a shop that when you enter you can come for something. It is a shop that is not so expensive that one can’t afford. Everything in our shop is unique even if it’s the cheapest,” she stated.

With her vast expertise in designing, Velma remains an inspiration to a department of Ghana’s fashion industry that is yet to win more media attention.

SOURCE: Daily Guide