Kumasi, July 2, 2025 — The Baba Yara Sports Stadium came alive with color, rhythm, and electric talent as over 30 senior high schools across the Ashanti Region gathered for the maiden edition of the Ashanti High School Music Fiesta. The musical spectacle, themed “Music Without Borders: United in Harmony,” was launched on June 4 and climaxed today with unforgettable performances, fierce competition, and cultural pride.

Organized under the auspices of the Ashanti Regional Ghana Education Service (GES), the event offered a vibrant platform for young musicians to express their creativity, foster inter-school unity, and celebrate Ghanaian heritage.

The Results Are In: Toase SHS Claims Gold

After a thrilling showdown of brass, drums, and choral finesse, Toase Senior High School emerged the overall winner with a commanding score of 261 points, taking 1st place out of the 31 ranked schools.

Trailing closely were:

Armed Forces SHTS with 248 points – 2nd Place

Opoku Ware School (OWASS) with 245 points – 3rd Place

Wesley High School – 244 points – 4th Place

Osei Tutu SHS – 242 points – 5th Place

Other top performers included Asanteman SHS, Prempeh College, and Kofi Agyei SHS, all showcasing remarkable coordination and stage presence that wowed the crowd and judges alike .

Not Just a Competition — A Cultural Celebration

What set the fiesta apart was not just the competition, but its unifying cultural spirit. Hosted at Prempeh College’s J.A.K. Auditorium during its launch, dignitaries like Dr. William Kwame Amankra Appiah (Ashanti Regional Director of Education), Oheneba Owusu Afriyie IV, and MCE Eric Assibey rallied support for arts in education.

Throughout the final event, students performed traditional ensembles, creative story-telling acts, and contemporary musical pieces. Performing bands were limited to 20 members per school, and each was judged on musical technique, creativity, coordination, and overall impression.

Surprise Guests Light Up the Stage

The crowd erupted when King Paluta and Kumawood icon Kwadwo Nkansah “Lilwin” hit the stage, with Lilwin’s dramatic entrance causing a frenzy both in-stadium and online. Social media buzzed with clips and praise, with some describing the day as “beautiful beyond standard” and “historical.”

A Future for Music in Education

This fiesta marks a critical milestone in re-establishing music and the arts as central to holistic education. The Ashanti Regional GES emphasized the event’s goal to promote peace, diversity, and excellence through creative expression.

As one adjudicator remarked, “These students aren’t just playing instruments — they’re shaping Ghana’s cultural future.”

Final Thought:

If this inaugural edition is anything to go by, the Ashanti High School Music Fiesta is poised to become a flagship event in the educational calendar — not just for its fierce musical rivalries, but for the joy, unity, and brilliance it brings to Ghana’s youth.

Watch the video below:

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that his government, under its flagship 24-hour economy programme, will implement a bold agricultural transformation agenda, starting with the irrigation of over 2 million hectares of land.

Speaking at the official unveiling of the 24-hour economy initiative in Accra, Mr Mahama said the irrigation drive falls under the Grow 24 segment, one of the eight key pillars of the programme, aimed at revitalising Ghana’s agriculture sector through sustained and technology-driven interventions.

According to him, the Grow 24 agenda will not only ensure year-round cultivation but will also support the establishment of agro-industrial parks.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Mahama Declares 24-Hour Economy Agenda A ‘National Reset’

These parks will serve as hubs for value addition, packaging, and agro-processing, thereby reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing market access for farmers.

The president emphasised that Grow 24 will be a catalyst for food self-sufficiency and agricultural exports, with support for farmer cooperatives, mechanisation, and access to modern inputs.

Mr Mahama added that the broader 24-hour economy is designed to boost productivity across sectors by encouraging continuous operations in agriculture, manufacturing, services, and creative industries, supported by infrastructure, financing, and digital connectivity.

Watch the video below:

myjoyonline.com

Several students of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), were on Wednesday, July 2, sent home by a task force for what has been described as indecent dressing.

The action follows earlier reports that the university would no longer tolerate inappropriate attire on campus.

According to information available to Myjoyonline.com, affected students were asked to leave the classroom and return to their homes or hostels to change before being allowed back.

A victim who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, stating that a number of them were turned away on Wednesday morning and instructed to return only after changing into ‘more appropriate’ clothing.

At the time of filing this report, the UPSA administration had yet to speak on the development.

The move appears to be part of renewed efforts by the university to enforce its code of conduct and promote discipline among students.

myjoyonline.com