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On Monday, August 21, outside the main entrance of the Christianborg Castle, Osu, the former slave holding space and political office for the republic, Ronnie Yesutor Akwetey, in the company of his good friend Eugene Koomson, Director and CEO at Envision Africa Media Hub, kept fidgeting with his camera, as he adjusted the settings for an impending procession to mark the opening of the ChaleWote Street Art Festival.
He spoke briefly to a colleague female reporter holding a PramcitiTV branded microphone. A voice boomed through the airspace and called for everyone’s attention. Suddenly, everyone was in a queue. Participants were all dressed in white and led by a priest and in a solemn manner, started a journey that took them through some selected streets of Osu.
Arguably the biggest Street Art Festival in Ghana and the West Africa sub-region, the festival was for the first time taking place in Osu, 13 years after it was pioneered in Jamestown. PramcitiTV, the YouTube channel based in Prampram and founded by Ronnie, was covering the procession as a media partner. It was the channel’s first association with the festival but certainly not the last. Looking dapper in a white T-shirt and long white trousers, his cameras firmly strapped on his shoulders, Ronnie took a series of shots of the procession.
He made a quick review and continued with the shoot. After nearly an hour of dredging through the streets of Osu, the procession returned to the castle, and the participants were greeted by the heavy sounds from the drums. Unable to resist the captivating sound, a participant jumped onto the floor and every move of hers was captured by Ronnie. Every step of the dancer was captured by his strong lens. He took a quick look at what appeared to be the final shot and a broad smile splashed across his face. He looked happy with the shots. He later descended the concrete stairs into the garden where other participants had gathered in smaller groups, awaiting a word from the organisers of the festival.
Two days after the procession and back in Prampram, Ronnie was busy coordinating an impending event to mark PramcitiTV’s fourth anniversary. He had dreamt about the day so did not want anything to go wrong. A man of incredible talent and hard work, he rallied the rest of the team he operates the channel with, including Naa Merley popularly called NaMerl, one of the influential female presenters whose onscreen personality keeps rising within the Ga Dangme media space. The two spoke briefly, fist-pumped and got everything started. He looked tired but a happy man. After all, the stress of the day could not be compared to the painful journey that gave life to the channel.
He is also blessed to have a dedicated team alongside the project who are doing their best to ensure the platform becomes a strong force in the country. A remarkable gentleman, Ronnie has not dithered from his dream and despite doubts and disconcerting voices, he remains resolute in his vision. Running a platform of this magnitude has not come easy, especially on the money front, but that has not stopped him from generating compelling content for the PramcitiTV audience. The platform covers everything from sports, entertainment, and education on the culture and traditions of the GaDangme people.
PramcitiTV has become an important hub for documenting the culture and traditions of the Prampram Traditional Area as well as the larger GaDangme ethnic group. It has become the lens through which the public (both at home and abroad) sees Prampram and its hidden treasures. The channel was recently honoured at the maiden edition of the Homowo Fashion and Awards night, where it picked the top prize for its works.
The platform has repositioned the image of Prampram and its people in a better light. In May this year during the Kpledo festival, a consumer of their content who lives in London and had just made it to enjoy the last leg of the last leg of the festival embraced one of the channel’s known presenters, DJ Soul, and told him about the channel’s impact on the lives of them who live outside of Ghana.
The woman was so grateful. In July this year, Ronnie led the sports department of PramcitiTV to provide in-depth coverage of the ended Nii Ayerh Homowo Futsal League. The games were streamed live on its Facebook page and offered regular updates in both pictures and articles. The coverage improved the game attendance and attracted scouts who work in juvenile football.
The attendance also helped food vendors. Apart from Prampram and its environs, the channel has dedicated its platform to the telling of GaDangme stories. PramcitiTV covered the Cape Coast Fetu Afahye and interacted with Ga Dangmes who have made the town their home. After four years of managing the channel, Ronnie and his team have set their sights on delivering compelling and timeless content which reflects the PramcitiTV tagline……… It is for everyone.
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