Given the “speed at which the [comedy] industry” has grown in Ghana, there was a need to dedicate an awards event solely to it, Dennis Boateng has said.

The CEO of the Ghana Comedy Awards (GCAs) 2024, he spoke to Prince Benjamin (PB) on the Class Morning Show on Class 91.3 FM.

He noted from 2019 to 2022, the scheme was called the Comedy & Poetry (COPO) Awards.

From the onset, “we had set a five-year target that we’d do an official split because the two industries are not the same – comedy and poetry – though they move hand-in-hand and poets usually write scripts for comedians to perform and vice versa,” he explained.  

“Comedy has been very impactful and poetry is also doing very good down there,” he said. “So the whole team came together and said this is the time. Let’s not wait for the five years, let’s do it now.”

“So we split the comedy and the poetry, and now we have Ghana Comedy Awards. Later on, we’ll have Ghana Poetry Awards,” he added.

He proudly praised the “very solid team” he has worked with all these years, noting pioneer-members’ dedication and a welcome expansion.

| Comic stars (L-R) Lekzy De Comic and OB Amponsah at the 2024 GCAs

Debut of Ghana Comedy Awards

An unforgettable moment for him at the maiden Ghana Comedy Awards, he noted, was “how committed and united the comedians are”.

He said during the ceremony, he observed anytime someone won an award, “the whole entourage would want to come on stage and cheer up their brother or sister – it’s amazing!”

“In fact, almost all the pictures” from the night shows this, he added.

Apart from that, another favourite moment from the Saturday, April 20, 2024, event, he said, was comic veteran and former Ablekuma South MP Fritz Baffour receiving an award.

“He was celebrated. You know he set the pace for comic MC’ing,” Boateng eulogised.

According to the writer and occasional master of ceremony (MC), 21 trophies were handed out for competitive categories for the 2024 Ghana Comedy Awards, in addition to “about five honourary awards including Hon Fritz Baffour’s”.

“It was a big night for comedy,” he contentedly remarked.

2024 presidential and parliamentary elections 

In an effort to promote understanding and harmony through comedy, as Ghana goes to the polls on December 7, Dennis Boateng revealed his team was touring nationwide with a project titled Ghana Must Laugh. The team's first stop will be in Ho, Volta Region, on June 15, 2024, he informed, adding there was an international tour in the works also. The tour will feature winners from the Ghana Comedy Awards 2024.

See below the full list of winners for the 2024 Ghana Comedy Awards:

1. Comic Cartoonist/Animator of the Year: Tilapia the Cartoonist

2. Comedy Skit Act of the Year: MJ the Comedian

3. Most Popular Comedian of the Year: OB Amponsah

4. Comedy Theatre/Play Act of the Year: Clemento Suarez

5. Comedian of the Year: Lekzy Decomic

6. Comedy Actor of the Year: Aka Ebenezer

7. Comedy Actress of the Year: Roselyn Ngissah

8. Comedy Discovery of the Year: Kwaku Forty

9. Comic Influencer of the Year: Comedian Waris

10. Comic Media Personality of the Year (Radio/TV): Dan Kweku Yeboah (Peace FM)

11. Student Comedian of the Year: Mr. Laughter (KNUST)

12. Unsung Comedian of the Year: Comedian Manuel

13. Slapstick Comic Act of the Year: Father Ankrah

14. Comedy Club of the Year: 2927 Comedy Club

15. Comedy Series of the Year (TV/Online): Party Office (Akwaaba Magic)

16. Comedy Program of the Year (TV/Radio/Online): Half Serious Show (GH One TV)

17. Female Comedian of the Year: Jacinta Ocansey

18. Comic Mc/Orator of the Year: Okokobioko

19. Comic Music Act of the Year: Ajeezay

20. Comedy Special of the Year Can Pain Message: Lekzy Decomic

21. Comic Cartoonist/Animator of The Year: Tilapia The Cartoonist

22. Standup Comedian of the Year: Lekzy Decomic

23. Comedy Event of the Year (Play/Show/Theatre): Laugh It Off – Parrot Mouth