By Carlos A. Calony
Food and shelter are two of humanity’s most essential needs, and they form the foundation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In today’s Ghana, however, both are becoming increasingly unaffordable. Rising food prices and soaring housing costs have made Accra one of the most expensive cities in Africa.
Even a single day without food weakens the body, and lacking shelter compromises safety, especially in an era of accelerating climate change. These realities made the weekend of June 20 to 23, 2025, particularly significant.
In Accra, two major trade fairs were launched, each addressing one of these basic human needs. The Multimedia Group Limited, through JoyNews, held the 16th edition of the Ecobank JoyNews Habitat Fair at the Achimota Retail Centre, offering housing solutions to Ghanaians. At the same time, Citi FM and Channel One TV, renowned for their impactful outdoor events, launched the inaugural Agrifair 2025 at the Efua Sutherland Park, with a focus on food systems and agricultural transformation.
To some, these may appear to be just more expos. But they represent far more than that. These fairs are strategic, media-driven responses to the critical challenges of soaring food prices and unaffordable housing, which continue to make life in Accra increasingly difficult, especially for the average Ghanaian.
These interventions are particularly commendable at a time when the government is working to reduce food costs through its Feed Ghana initiative and to provide affordable housing to the citizenry.
Importantly, both fairs attracted significant attention, not only from the general public, but also from policymakers and government officials.
At Citi FM’s Agrifair, officials from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture actively participated. Likewise, the JoyNews Habitat Fair saw the presence of key government figures, including the Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, Gizella Akushika Tetteh‑Agbotui, who engaged vendors, patrons, and organizers.
Clearly, this is no coincidence. It reflects the state’s recognition of how strategic these media-led interventions are to Ghana’s broader development agenda.
Permit me to explore why these fairs matter and why the media organizations behind them deserve special mention, not only for their role in holding power to account, but for actively shaping Ghana’s development trajectory.
THE ECOBANK JOYNEWS HABITAT FAIR
The first clinic of this year’s Ecobank JoyNews Habitat Fair brought together key stakeholders from across Ghana’s housing ecosystem. Hosted at the upscale Achimota Retail Centre, the fair showcased services ranging from land acquisition, real estate development, and construction equipment, to interior design, plumbing, water storage solutions, home security, and more.
From June 20 to 22, dozens of exhibitors offered a one-stop shop for mortgage and financing advice, affordable housing deals, exclusive showroom discounts, and live demonstrations. The event also facilitated direct interaction between the public and Ghana’s top real estate brands.
More importantly, the fair provided a collaborative platform where industry players, aspiring homeowners, real estate investors, and regulatory bodies could meet under one roof to explore practical solutions to Ghana’s housing deficit.
Exhibitors benefited from broad exposure across JoyNews platforms, including television, radio, online, and social media, along with opportunities to showcase their products and services directly to prospective clients.
CITI FM’S AGRIFAIR 2025
Meanwhile, Citi FM’s maiden Agrifair 2025, held under the theme “Feeding the Future, Innovation, Access and Sustainability in Ghana’s Agrifood Chain,” served as a strategic platform to transform Ghana’s food systems.
Organizers envisioned it as a bridge between producers and markets, promoting a model of agriculture that is tech-enabled, inclusive, and investment-ready.
The fair brought together actors across the agrifood value chain, from smallholder farmers and agritech startups to processors, exporters, financiers, and policy influencers. Key highlights included B2B sessions, policy roundtables, innovation showcases, and special exhibitions by youth and women-led agribusinesses.
Agrifair also addressed longstanding sectoral challenges, including post-harvest losses, fragmented supply chains, and limited processing capacity. It championed the adoption of agritech, promoted local sourcing, and advocated for enabling policies to drive agri-led industrialization and enhance food security.
Notable partners included Agri‑Impact Limited, Yara Ghana, Mastercard Foundation, Kosmos Innovation Center, Absa Bank, MTN Business, GIRSAL, AMG Fertilizer, KOA Natural, and GBfoods, producers of Gino.
The fair not only drew industry professionals, it also drew strong participation from government representatives, particularly from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
MEDIA AS A DRIVER OF DEVELOPMENT
These two landmark events illustrate how Ghana’s media can act as a vital catalyst for development, not just by reporting the issues, but by creating tangible solutions.
By organizing these fairs, Multimedia Group Limited and Citi FM / Channel One-TV are redefining the media’s role, shifting from passive watchdogs to active development partners who bridge government policy, private innovation, and public engagement.
Such initiatives also strengthen the financial sustainability of media houses. As traditional advertising revenue declines, and as AI and social media reshape media consumption, it is increasingly important for media institutions to innovate to stay relevant and independent.
Initiatives like these generate additional revenue, reduce reliance on politically influenced funding, and safeguard editorial independence and integrity.
A CALL TO THE FOURTH ESTATE OF THE REALM
This is a call to action for the rest of Ghana’s media and corporate sector. The days of sitting on the sidelines as passive commentators are over. You must participate actively in the development process, beyond the comfort of air-conditioned studios and newsroom desks.
Support Ghana’s economic transformation agenda. Design and lead initiatives that solve real problems. Let our airwaves be platforms for solutions, not just political criticism.
The Fourth Estate of the Realm must rise beyond analysis and commentary. It must lead by example and back its watchdog role with meaningful action.
Kudos to the Multimedia Group and Citi FM, along with Channel One TV, for proving that the media can build as well as broadcast.
This is journalism with vision. This is media with purpose. This is leadership for the future.
Kudos.