{
  "id": 6800816,
  "title": "Ghana must turn kente’s global moment into proper investment – Amma Prempeh",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/ghana-must-turn-kentes-global-moment-into-proper-investment-amma",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-11T20:41:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/ghana-must-turn-kentes-global-moment-into-proper-investment-amma-prempeh/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Amma Prempeh, a Ghanaian journalist, filmmaker and Kente Ambassador, has called for turning Ghana's growing global interest in kente into economic opportunities. In an interview with myjoyonline.com, she emphasized that the recent international visibility of Ghanaian kente presents a chance for the country to develop a stronger commercial industry around the traditional handwoven cloth. This development was driven by the wedding of Bozoma Saint John-Watson and Keely Watson in Ghana, and a major Akwasidae celebration in Washington, D.C. led by King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. Amma Prempeh believes that while these events signal a rising demand for authentic Ghanaian Kente, they also pose the question of whether Ghana is ready for the industry's next phase of growth. She pointed out that the current production capacity may not suffice if international orders increase. Her concerns include access to affordable yarn, modern workshops, equipment, and production infrastructure for weavers in Bonwire, in the Ashanti Region. She urged government and private investors to respond to these needs. Amma Prempeh aspired to secure an investor for establishing a yarn manufacturing factory at Bonwire, alongside modern workshops and other resources for weavers. She also advocated for bolstering Ghana's cotton industry to facilitate local yarn production, suggesting that this could reduce dependence on imported yarn and enhance productivity. The filmmaker stressed that the benefits of developing the Kente industry could extend to various sectors, including fashion, design, tourism, packaging, marketing, and exports. She also highlighted the importance of leveraging Ghana Kente's Geographical Indication (GI) status by implementing systems to ensure the authenticity and origin of the cloth. Furthermore, she proposed a digital certification system for customers to verify the authenticity, origin, design, and, where applicable, the weaver or weaving community behind a piece of Kente. Lastly, Amma Prempeh called for proper protection of Kente designs and documentation of the knowledge and meanings associated with traditional patterns to ensure Ghanaian communities benefit from the commercial success of their cultural heritage.",
  "summary": "Amma Prempeh, a Ghanaian journalist, filmmaker and Kente Ambassador, has advocated for the need to move beyond celebrating kente’s global rise and invest in the infrastructure needed to turn growing demand into economic opportunity.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}