Grace Yeboah wins Miss Metro 2020

 

As the night waned into the early hours of Monday, October 5, 2020, Kumasi representative Nellie, beat competition against ten (10) delegates to win the Miss Metro Ghana (MMG) national Crown.

The MMG 2020 is a flagship event of the Miss Metro Foundation, with focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically goal 6, which emphasizes on sanitation and access to clean drinkable water by 2030. With Covid-19 still very much active in the world including Ghana, organizers dedicated this year’s edition of the annual pageant to fighting the pandemic.

At least 200 people gathered at the auditorium of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly new complex

Organisers themed this year’s edition “The Role of the Ghanaian Woman in fighting Covid-19”. This allows all twelve (12) finalists to embark on a Social Media Campaign with their Covid-19 preventive message and garner for public support through the voting system. The climax of the journey which started in July this year saw ten (10) delegates competing on the night vying for metropolitan crowns and the ultimate crown, National Crown.

With the National Crown going to Miss Grace Nellie Yeboah, a representative from Kumasi Metro, six (6) ladies emerged winners as Metropolitan Queens for the six (6) Metropolitan Cities in the country namely: Miss Gracilla Akade-Yeboah Sekondi/Takoradi Metro Queen, Miss Flora Adjeley Adjei Tema Metro Queen, Miss Asantewaa Osei Celestina Tamale Metro Queen, Miss Gifty Sarpong Kumasi Metro Queen, Miss Sandra Ama Atu Accra Metro Queen, and finally Miss Afra Paloma Darkwa Cape Coast Metro Queen.

Organizers in their wisdom in preparing for the grand finale, engaged the National Covid-19 Response team, the Ghana Health Service, Commission of NGO’s in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), and other stakeholders in the sanitation and environmental hygiene industry.

Speaking at the event in solidarity with the Miss Metropolitan Pageant and its core vision, Leader of Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Ghana’s Covid-19 Response and Director of Health Promotion at the Ghana Health Service Dr. Dacosta Aboagye, reiterated the need for all individuals to continue adhering to the safety protocols laid by the World Health Organization, and the Ghana Health Service, even though the government has eased restrictions in the country, in an attempt to help the country’s economy to recover.

Dr. Dacosta stressed that Ghana risks entering a second wave of the pandemic if citizens do not strictly follow protocols especially in open places and social gatherings. He, therefore, applauded organizers for ensuring strict adherence to the Covid-19 protocols during the grand finale, he expressed satisfaction with guests wearing their nose masks even while seated in the auditorium.

He further used the opportunity to educate the audience on the dynamics of the coronavirus, its prevention, and best disposal practices. Dr. Aboagye Dacosta commended the organizing team for the efforts put into planning and executing what he described as “a well thought out event with safety at heart”.

Representatives from Jekora Ventures, one of the sponsors of the MMG Pageant, and Representative from CONIWAS took turns to deliver messages to the guests. Felix Laryea of Jekora Ventures discussed the need for people to properly handle the wastes they produce from their various homes.

According to him, proper sorting and handling of wastes prior to pick by waste management institutions makes it easy to treat, recycle and dispose of unwanted trash, a trend that could ease the pressure on the country’s landfill sites and also reduce the financial burden of government in dealing with the waste menace.  Miss Emily of CONIWAS, also applauded organizers and managers of the pageant for carefully planning the event with a focus on sanitation and the pandemic.

Miss Dzifa Grey, CEO of DG Wipes and Hand Sanitizers, in an emotional speech to the delegates encouraged them to strive for greatness especially as they embark on their projects during their one (1) year reign as queens.

In her submission, she noted that such national projects require courage, positive attitude, and commitment of great magnitude thus, the queens should not hesitate to reach out to mentors, helpers, and supporters along the line in executing their projects. She says, such networking and positive connections can only grow their talent, and build their personalities to stay relevant to the course and the nation at large.

The national Queen, Miss Nellie after her crowning in an interview with the media reaffirmed her readiness to work with all government and institutions involved in the fight against Covid-19 as well as her metro queens in implementing their projects. According to her, the time for Ghanaian women especially young ladies to rise and take their rightful place as helpers and protectors of their families has come. The time to show the strength of the young Ghanaian woman in conquering the enemy has never been needed than now, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The General Manager of the 2020 MMG, Miss Charity Emehill Bartels, appreciated the media for their continuous support since the journey of the Miss Metropolitan Foundation began in 2017 and called on the media to be circumspect in reporting COVID related stories as their power if not carefully handled in their bid to deliver on their mandate in information dissemination could course more harm than good in creating more fear than calm.

The 2020 edition of the MMG Pageant saw assistance and support from institutions like CONIWAS, Jekora Ventures, Melcom Group, Vienna City Accra, City Gold, King Glah Events Production, DG Wipes, and Sanitizers, Cheezy Pizza, GH Schools, Black Paradise, Emehill Transformation, Calabash Dance Theater, LALOC Foundation with support from Media partners like Pan African TV, Home base TV, Daily Guide, Daily Graphic, Radio Universe, Angel TV, and Ghana Web.

Miss Bartels emphasized that organizers are optimistic that the successful crowning of the seven (7) queens will pave the way for the immediate implementation of projects in their various Metropolitan Cities with hopes of Ghana seeing the positive impact of their work in the shortest possible time.