By Juliet Adime Amoah
This year's 'Miss Ghana ,' beauty pageant and National Dance Championship that until recently was co-sponsored by Pioneer Tobacco Company (PTC) and Accra Brewery Limited (ABL), was launched at the Plush Labadi Beach Hotel on March 31 under the sole sponsorship of ABL. PTC has withdrawn its sponsorship.
With PTC's withdrawal of it's sponsorship, the Pageant which used to be the Embassy -Club Pleasure, now known only as Club Pleasure will start on May 1. The withdrawal of PTC has not diminished the prizes that will be won during the championship as the organisers, Media Whizz Kids unveiled a mouth-watering package that compares favourably with the previous one.
This year's beauty Queen will receive a Daihatsu Gran Move car, a two bedroom self contained house, a ticket to the Miss World with spending money, and three million cedis cash. The second Prize is a Television set and a Video Deck, Living room furniture an air ticket to London and 2.5 million cedis. The Third prize is a double door refrigerator, Dining room furniture, a gas cooker and two million cedis cash. The 4th =9620th contestants will get two million cedis cash each as well as Fabrics from Akosombo Textiles and Hair and Body products.
The champion in the Dance section of the Contest will take home a cash prize of 12 million cedis and a =91ghetto blaster.' The 2nd prize is two million cedis cash, a television set and a video deck as well as ghetto blaster. The second runner up will earn One million cedis cash; a table-top refrigerator, a ghetto Blaster. The 4th =9620th contestants will win 600,000 cedis each and a ghetto Blaster.
Miss Ghana =9199 will commence on May Day in the Volta region whilst the Upper West Region will host the event on 22nd May. The third and fourth hosts will be the Upper East region May 28th and the Northern Region on the 29th of May. The Greater Accra competition often made out to be the highlight of the Regional event will be on June 5. The Central and the Western Regions will follow on the 2nd and 3rd of July respectively, while the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Region play hosts on the 30th and 31st of July. The Eastern Region nicknamed the =91home of Flowers' by the media, will be last to host its competition on August 6. The climax of both the dance championship and the beauty contest, will be held in the capital Accra on August 28 and October 2 respectively.
In an address, Mr Mike Gizo, the Minister of Tourism said the event classified in the National Development Plan as a cultural tourism product 'has produced some spectacular displays of our cultural exposition and dance movements'. The Minister also commented on the transformations that have occurred in the delivery and content of the Miss Ghana Pageant over the years. 'As we enter the new millennium, these events must of necessity provide us a new experience and a new vision, focusing especially on the role of women in development' he said.
Miss Efia Owusuaa Marfo, Miss Ghana 98, who will end her reign in October had this to say: 'I have been through an experience that I did not foresee. All the places that I have been to as Ms Ghana, l think l have made an impact and l'm grateful to all those who have made this possible. I will need the whole evening to talk about London, Paris, and Seychelles for Miss World and back home to Accra.' She said her charity work as Miss Ghana is directed at selected areas that really need assistance. With the help of the Ghana National Trust Fund, she continued I was able to identify St Joseph's Orphanage at Wusukrom in the Central Region. She also uncovered a project she had named 'Enyidado Fei' or 'House of Hope' for street girls, which she said the Salvation Army is helping to run.
Mr. Gaddy Laryea, Executive Chairman of Media Whizz Kids, pointed out that the event has come under what he called intense pressure as this year alone 10 major pageants have been launched. 'Far from being intimidated we welcome this as another chance to prove that the Miss Ghana event is the very best of its kind,' he said.
