Don’t associate ‘Detty’ December with anything Ghana- KOD asserts

The Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Presidency, Kofi Okyere-Darko, says he does not want the popular phrase “Detty December” associated with Ghana’s official end-of-year celebrations, arguing that the term carries negative connotations.

Speaking at the Ghana Diaspora Summit in Accra, he explained that although the youth widely embrace “Detty December,” the government prefers its official branding, “December in Ghana.” He noted that “detty,” which means “dirty” in West African Pidgin, does not reflect the image Ghana wants to project internationally.

“On a personal level I don’t want the word ‘detty’ to be associated with anything Ghana… that’s something I’m not very comfortable with,” he said.

KOD highlighted that December tourism has long been part of Ghana’s appeal, attracting over 125,000 international visitors last year with many from the diaspora. He welcomed suggestions for a modern rebrand, proposing that “December in Ghana could be shortened to the initials (D.I.G.).. Let’s dig it!” as that could resonate strongly with younger audiences.

The phrase “Detty December” rose to prominence about eight years ago, popularized by Nigerian musician Mr Eazi’s Detty Rave festival in Accra.