24 was a roller coaster – cliché, yeah, right. My personal life was good and personal as always, and I remain grateful for all the good and bad times. In retrospect, there have been a couple of highlights. Until January 24, 2024, I’ve spent the past 6 years helping establish and run the communications unit of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ghana as its first Communications Officer. Those times have been great formative years.
The original idea was to start a merchandising, music production, and entertainment communications business because I spent most of my university days acquiring more skills than education. Considering my current financial background, that was a fairly naive idea, but at least I thought about it. So, when the opportunity arose for me to assume the role, I took it.
I joined AmCham Ghana in October 2017, just when the Chamber started preparing to host its annual flagship event, the Thanksgiving Dinner and Awards Night. Hosted at the banquet hall of the State House, it will be the first grand dinner after its inaugural ball with the late former President Jerry John Rawlings. I was glad I spent most of my school days prioritizing skill acquisition. Jumping into such a role fresh out of school was daunting, but a challenge that I gladly accepted and executed.
As the Communications Officer for one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Bilateral Trade Associations in Ghana, I gained significant exposure. Meeting and interacting with both U.S. and Ghanaian government officials, heads of institutions, and business executives, to produce, coordinate, brand, and cover high-profile engagements and events such as the U.S. – Ghana Business Forum, the U.S. – Ghana Business Expo, trade missions, and several U.S. State governors’ visits.
The Chamber has existed since 1989 and has been instrumental in attracting U.S. companies to Ghana; however, it has never had a department or officer responsible for leveraging these achievements to create an image, solicit public interest, generate brand awareness, drive membership growth, and build influence to further advocate for member interests.
Documentary commemoration the 35th Anniversary of AmCham Ghana: Created by ASAK
By supervising the reconstruction of the website and logo redesign. Directly responsible for creating attractive infographics, creative writing, flyer design, and event branding, professional event photographs, timely event reportage, surveys, drafting of opinion pieces, active social media accounts, and maintaining a well-populated website. With the genius and high-pressure supervision and guidance of my boss, the former Executive Secretary of the Chamber, Simon Madjie, we created an influential powerhouse —a leader in bilateral trade advocacy in Ghana and an essential AmCham on the continent. And it is like magic if you have a backend understanding, but yeah, you don’t. Lol.
I fondly remember the nights and days we spent preparing to host the maiden U.S.-Ghana Business Forum. This was our first time hosting anything of this magnitude and significance. This was in 2018 during the first Trump administration that wasn’t too keen on U.S.-Africa relations, so it’s note-worthy when the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) 2018 fact-finding delegation led by the former Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross included Ghana in their itinerary and more importantly when the Chamber has the privilege to play a significant role in their visit to Ghana.
The forum, organized in collaboration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is a high‐level meeting of U.S. and Ghanaian businesses and government officials to foster and deepen bilateral commercial engagements between the two countries, and every important person was in attendance. It was a privilege and an authentic experience playing a vital role in that event.
Because the Chamber is membership-driven, I did not only serve AmCham but also its members. Through a weekly newsletter, I created a platform that highlights member products and services, as well as events and activities. I’ve worked with member companies such as Delta Air Lines, Johnson & Johnson, United Airlines, and Google, among others, on various projects and events.
I had a great time at the Chamber. The monthly events with members, various engagements with trade delegations from several U.S. States, and interactions with visiting State Governors, Senators, Attorneys General, and senior U.S. government officials, including Wilbur Ross and Nancy Pelosi, among others. Our engagements with the U.S Embassy, the Foreign Commercial Service, and those breakfast meetings at the Ambassador’s residence. The advocacy meetings and events with Ghanaian Presidents, Vice Presidents, Ministers, and heads of institutions. And oh, those private meetings with managers, directors, and senior executives of local and multinational businesses. Conversations I rarely contribute to, but from which I learn the most.
I thrive on challenges, always seeking new adventures, and I’m not a big fan of institutionalism. After six years, and newly married with a pending rent payment, I decided to resign from my role. The Chamber has been good to me, to say the least, although they couldn’t have done better. But as they say, nothing is constant except for change.
I currently run a corporate communications practice, providing event solutions that include photography, video production, graphic design, print services, and live event coverage.
I have always been creative and driven by the singular motivation of making a living out of my talent and passion. I started my first blog after high school and grew it into an entertainment website,, which I ran until my third year at university. I fondly remember a story my partner, Eugene, told me about an encounter with onGhana’sana’s celebrated entertainment bloggers, Ameyaw Debrah, who remarked on our efforts to generate original content. I had to close the website because I could no longer foot the bills, that’sat’s just a paused chapter, not a closed one.
Being a creative in my part of the world can be daunting, and when you add entrepreneurship to the mix, it becomes arduous. The forever anxiety, mellow depression, fucked up finances, the under-appreciated stress disorder (yeah, I made that up,) and the little doubts that creep in from time. Passion is a bitch, huh.
I always want to make an impact, not for self-gratification, but for real effect and the satisfaction of problem-solving, and, of course, for income. I believe in creating wealth by providing opportunities for growth. That’s why I have always been open to collaborations.
The first job was a great experience and I have no regrets. I want to focus more on my personal endeavors, but I’m always open to new opportunities and experiences. Maybe something that involves a lot of travel 😊.
I’m considering a career in farming. I don’t have the funds, but I’m doing the legwork. I also have a documentary coming out soon on the splendid work being done by Ali with his Mawuvi Basketball Fellowship (that makes number 2 after a corporate one I did for AmCham to commemorate their 35th Anniversary). I would love to make more of those.
As the communications officer for the American Chamber of Commerce in Ghana for six years, and being the first in that role, entails more tales than can be told, but this is where it ends now.
PS: So this was supposed to be a new year reflection article but you know, procrastination is my comfortable uninvited guest.
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2 Comments
Good read and such a remarkable journey, brother. Congratulations!
Thanks for the read, bro, and for the compliment.