Ghanaian-born American actress, Tanya Sam
Ghanaian-born American actress, Tanya Sam is in Ghana to shoot the next season of her popular docu-series dubbed, ‘Making of a Mogul’; a show that seeks to give focus and exposure to Ghanaian entrepreneurs and startup businesses.
She paid a courtesy call on the leadership of the creative arts and tourism sector to discuss the docu-series and also, establish her support in building resilient turf for businesses in Ghana.
Tanya as host of the show seeks to give Ghanaian businesses and entrepreneurs spaces in the global market through her channel.
Recognized for her role in the ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ series; Tanya indicated her deep love and strong ties to the motherland, which has always given her the urge to visit home on regular basis.
“I have always come to Ghana every year, but the last few years have been difficult due to the pandemic. My dad lives here in Ghana, so we always want to come back home as a family. Notwithstanding the fact that Ghana has huge potential for wooing giant businesses into the country,” she said during a onversation with the Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, Mr. Akwasi Awua Ababio.
The actress further expressed how proud she has always been sharing her story and experiences as a Ghanaian with other people in the diaspora.
“Ghana has great potential of flipping the world on its head and I think it has become more necessary to do this because I’ve had friends say they want to send their kids back to reconsider boarding school here rather than in the US makes the timing right,” Tanya Sam stressed.
Tanya Sam’s father is a Ghanaian retired military officer while her mum is British. Tanya is a tech-savvy businesswoman and the director of Partnerships at Tech Square Labs, a technology startup hub and venture capital fund. Tanya is passionate about creating pathways to bring more women and minorities into business and technology.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, Mr. Akwasi Awua Ababio, also pledged his unflagging support for the docu-series which aims at spreading and educating people in the diaspora about the Ghanaian culture.
“It’s time every person living in the diaspora need to come back home and help change the narrative. The government will continue to use the Year of Return initiative to whip up interest in that regard. Part of it is the Ga-Adamgbe Home Coming set to happen from the 19-21st of August, designed to foster relations among the natives and those in the diaspora,” he said.
Meanwhile, the deputy minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture; Mark Okuraku Mantey has lauded Tanya’s visit back home.
“Government is ready to support you; our government is a capitalist one and we believe in allowing the private sector do all the things for the nation and ours is to create an environment where businesses can thrive and use the taxes to develop the country," he added.
The year of return is an initiative launched in 2019 by the Government of Ghana and the US-based Adinkra group to encourage Africans living in the Diasporas to come to Africa to settle and invest in the continent. Celebrities like Steve Harvey, WWE superstar Kofi Kingston, Naomi Campbell were in Ghana to mark 400 years of the first enslaved African arriving in Jamestown Virginia.