Dzifa Gomashie Deputy Creative Arts Minister
Following the splendid performance of Ghana’s Afua Ansah at the just ended National Spelling Bee competition held in the United states of America, Deputy Creative Arts Minister Honourable Dzifa Gomashie has called on this country and it populace to start celebrating brain power.
She said this while addressing the press after Afua’s arrival in Ghana from the US.
“I think it is time as Ghanaians we celebrate brain power. That is exactly what she exhibited during the contest and I believe she will be a role model for her colleagues.”
The minister described Afua’s performance as a very special one and inspiring.
“It was a remarkable one, she spoke well of Ghana and watching her video, I liked how she used the globe to tell a story about her journey to the States, her composure when it is her turn to spell etc.
“It did not end there, she went on to talk about the tourism sites as well. Therefore, I thought it wise that we go to the airport and welcome her. I just wanted to be part of her story after all when the Black Stars come home with Bronze, we go to the airport to welcome them,” she said.
The 14 year-old from Ridge Church School in Accra, made history when she made it in the top 45 finals of the 2016 Scripps Spelling Bee competition.
This year’s competition comprised of 285 spellers from various U.S. states and countries including Jamaica, Japan, South Korea, Canada and the Bahamas.
Ansah, the seventh grader from Accra battled it out with other talented spellers in the preliminary test, preliminary round two and three, before reaching the final.
Ansah had the second highest score in the preliminary exam, scoring 29 out of 30 points, before she misspelled “Liechtenstein” in the final. Despite bowing out of the competition in the final round, Ansah, who draws inspiration from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie held her own.
