The creative arts industry in Ghana has received a major boost after five of its most influential personalities were presented with diplomatic passports by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
The recipients include travel vlogger Wode Maya, Grammy-nominated reggae musician Rocky Dawuni, broadcaster Anita Erskine, visual artist Ibrahim Mahama, and entrepreneur Dentaa Amoateng MBE.
The announcement was made during the launch of the Diaspora Summit 2025, organised by the Office of the President, Diaspora Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the Minister, the move is part of efforts to expand Ghana’s diplomatic toolkit by empowering globally recognized creatives who have consistently projected Ghana and Africa on the international stage.
With their influence spanning music, media, art, digital content, and diaspora engagement, the five honorees are expected to strengthen cultural diplomacy, trade promotion, tourism, and people-to-people relations.
Interestingly, the case of Wode Maya born Berthold Kobby Winkler Ackon stood out, as just hours before the event he had posted on social media that Australia had denied him a visa.
The initiative has been hailed as a win for the creative industry, which has long advocated for greater recognition and institutional support.
