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Coventry alumni honours Farouk Aliu Mahama

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Aliu Mahama holding the award

Alhaji Umar Farouk Aliu Mahama, Member of Parliament (MP) for Yendi has received an Honorary recognition, which acknowledges him among the “Top 30 Achievers” of Coventry University, United Kingdom, Alumini.

At a joint Special Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU)/Coventry University Alumni Dinner and Recognition Night in Accra, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama received a citation which reads:

“In recognition and appreciation for your outstanding accomplishment in your chosen endeavor, we recognise you as one of the Top 30 Achievers, after a decade of partnership between Coventry University and GCTU in education capacity building.

Your exceptional skills, devotion and professionalism thus bring honour and prestige to your fellow alumni and alma mater”.

Accepting the award, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama said: “On behalf of myself, my team, constituents and my family, I thank my alma mater for the honour of this recognition.

I am deeply humbled by the honour and I accept the challenge that it imposes on me to continue to seek the best of humanity and to lead exemplary leadership hinged on nothing else, but development, compassion and the people-first.”

He acknowledged the importance of the award and thanked Professor John Latha, Vice Chancellor of Coventry University, who was the Special Guest of the occasion.

“I would like to thank the Vice Chancellors of Coventry University and GCTU for conceiving this idea to reward the top 30 achievers after a decade of collaboration between the two institutions.”

He said: “We the Alumini accept the awards and promise our unwavering support to the growth of this outstanding institution as Alumni. Together, we will expand and improve GCTU and Coventry University in Africa”.

“I am not surprise that GCTU has been recognised as Africa’s Premier Institution for Capacity Building in Procurement and Supply Chain 2022”.

 

Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama said, he and his constituents were resilient and committed to building a confident Yendi, which is united and at peace with ourselves.

This, he said, underpins his individual initiative to tool farmers in the constituency, empower the youth and women, care about their health and to support the needy and school children.

He again thanked Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Prof.Ebo Hinson, Africa’s Celebrated Researcher and Dr. David King Boison, who he described as an outstanding lecturer who taught them to either drink deep or taste not.

President of Alumni, Eng. Mark AffumAmoamah, also thanked the two Universities for the recognition.

Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama is currently the Member of Parliament (MP) for Yendi Constituency in the Northern Region of Ghana and the Board Chairman of the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC).

He is result-oriented, focused and a disciplined manager. He has broad Technical Experience in Procurement and Supply Chain Management with extensive knowledge of Procurement Standards, Principles, Practice and Procedures.

Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama has experience in Distribution, Warehousing, Logistics Management, Information Systems, Procurement Management, and also possesses excellent knowledge in Risk and Project Management.

Court rescinds arrest warrant for Trassacoboss

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Accra Circuit Court

The Accra Circuit Court ‘9’, presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah has rescinded a bench warrant issued for the arrest of the General Manager (GM) of Trassaco Limited, Morris Ian.

The decision follows an application filed by his Counsel, Martin Kpebu, that the embattled General Manager/Managing Director of Trassaco Estate could not attend court on Friday, August 26, 2022 because he was down with Covid-19.

The application filed on Monday, August 29, 2022 said: “I am before you (Court) for A7 (Morris Ian) today. A7 couldn’t make it to court last Friday, not aware and he is also down with Covid-19.

I pray that the bench warrant be rescinded and as soon as he gets well, he will be available.”

Earlier on Friday the Prosecuting officer had informed the court that Mr Ian, together with two others –Hamid Musah (A6) and Dr Botwe (A8) – had allegedly escaped trial by the court.

The three were part of five other accused persons facing conspiracy to commit a crime, preparation for committing certain criminal offences, causing unlawful damage and prohibition of land guards’ charges.

These persons are;AkuribillaAnnanfo, 40, Razak Seidu, 28, Abdallah Abdul Fatau, 40, Baah Samuel, 38  and Francis Avegbedo, 38 – all security men arraigned before the court last Friday, where they  pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court, after a careful analysis of the arguments on bail, raised by the Counsel for the accused persons, Anthony Lartey, led by Martin Kpebu and the prosecution, remanded the five into police custody, to reappear before it yesterday, August 30, 2022.

The brief facts read to the court by the police prosecuting officer indicated that the case was reported to the police by the General Manager of TOP Kings, Benjamin Kwame Danso (Complainant).

The court was informed that somewhere in 1999, the Empire Builders Limited took the Complainant and others to court, but the case was settled on December 16, 2020 in favour of Mr Danso and others.

It was alleged that despite the Complainant and others winning the case, they continued to suffer at the hands of the accused persons and their manager, Dr. Botwe, who recruited them as land guards for the Trassaco Estate.

And that, since the judgement could not put the matter to rest, a series of complaints were lodged with the police, in relation to the case.

Thus on August 17, 2021 the police received information that Dr. Botwe and Morris Ian allegedly agreed for a meeting to be held between the latter and three of the accused persons – Abdullah, Baah and one Hamid Musah @ Alhaji, at large.

It was concluded at the alleged meeting between the four that Morris Ian wanted to take over land which belonged to the Complainant and his company.

Morris Ian was said to have concluded the meeting by paying cash of GH¢41,000.00 and further issued GH¢50,000.00 Access Bank cheque to Abdullah on behalf of the land guards.In furtherance of this, Morris Ian was alleged to have put Abdullah, Baah and Hamid Musah in his Range Rover vehicle, and drove them to the Complainant’s site to demolish the buildings on the land.

As a result, on August 1, this year, police patrol teams, assisted by a witness in the case, who also is a night security man arrested AkrubillaAnnanfo and SeiduRazak.

At the time of the arrest, one pump action gun and ten rounds of BB cartridges were found on Akrubilla.Similarly, a spot interrogation conducted by the police patrol team discloses that Akrubilla and Seidu were all working for Morris Ian, who is the General Manager of Trassaco Limited.

Fast forward, on August 17, 2022 the Regional Command received information that the Managing Director of Trassaco and Dr Botwe were recruiting land guards to go and demolish the buildings of TOP King and their customers.

The court was informed that based upon this information, police patrol teams were dispatched to the area, where the accused were alleged mobilising to attack the Complainant, but before the police could reach there, they had information and left.

On August 24, 2022 the police again received information that the accused persons, led by Abdullah, were mobilising the land guards to go and demolish buildings of the Complainant and his customers.

A police patrol team was once again dispatched to the area and arrested Akrubilla and Hamid, but the others escaped.

The court was informed that during interrogation, Abdullah and Baah admitted the offences in the presence of an independent witness, and the accused persons were charged with the offences and arraigned before court. Efforts are underway to apprehend the other suspects at large.

MP Duker commissions 480 bed capacity dormitory for Fiaseman SHS

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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The 480-bed capacity dormitory block
George Mireku Duker commissioned the dormitory block

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency, George Mireku Duker, has commissioned a 480-bed capacity dormitory for the Fiaseman Senior High School on Monday.

The Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko, supported the Tarkwa MP to cut the tape to commission the boys’ dormitory for the school.

The project was funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) at a cost of GH¢2.7 million and has a 20-seater water closet toilet facility, 32 shower cubicles, 2 washing bay, two ironing halls, one mechanised borehole and beds.

The Headmaster of the school, John Kofi Saighoe, commended the MP for the role he played in securing the project.

“The role our MP played in securing the project for the school is very commendable.”

He said the dormitory would go a long way to ease congestion and boost student enrollment, and gave the assurance that the edifice would be maintained to serve generations to come.

The Headmaster also used the occasion to enumerate challenges such as encroachment on the school land and lack of bungalows for resident teachers.

Addressing the gathering, the MP said he was elated over the completion of the project. “I am delighted this profound edifice will serve the people of Tarkwa and its environs.”

MP Duker said apart from the government paying the fees for parents through the free Senior High School policy, it was at the same time ensuring every school did not lag behind in terms of infrastructure, and that the edifice was a testimony of its desire to spread projects across senior high schools (SHS).

The Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, on his part, said the project was one he came to meet on his table when he took over as Regional Minister.

He said, with the advent of free SHS, enrollment had increased in schools, with the region, for instance, recording 480%.

MP Duker commissions 3rd Phase Astro Turf for Tarkwa Cyanide

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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The Astro Turf football pitch

It was joy all at the Tarkwa Cyanide suburb when the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, George Mireku Duker, commissioned a Third Phase Astro Turf at the weekend.

The MP was led by a retinue of traditional leaders, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Coastal Development Authority (CODA), Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Regional Manager of CODA, Edmundson Afriyie, the Deputy CEO of CODA, and Mona Gertrude Effah, Municipal Chief Executive of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Assembly, to cut the tape to signify the official opening of the Astro Turf.

The Turf was awarded on contract in 2020 and it took two years for the contractor to complete it and hand over.

Commissioning the Turf, George Mireku Duker, who is also the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, expressed joy over the completion of the project.

He said that when he broke the ground for the construction to begin, a number of his political opponents read meanings into the project, while others went to the extent of describing it as a political game, which he was using to win votes and that when the election was over, the contractor would abandon the site.

“We have decided to serve Wassa, and there is no turning back. Wassa portion of MP is me and whether or not you like it, I will continue to push for Wassa for development,” Duker told the crowd amidst applause.

He called for all hands to be on the deck to push Wassa forward so that it benefitted from the sharing of the national cake.

The Legislator also used the occasion to assure the people of Tarkwa that the town roads would soon be asphalted.

The Obaahema of the Apinto Divisional Stool, Nana Abena Boaduwa II, who chaired the function, applauded the MP for his foresight.

Nana Boaduwa said, as Obaahema, she was delighted by the level of development the Legislator had initiated for the constituency.

Other chiefs present included Obaahema Adjoa Kyere, Obaahema Adjoa Pentiwa, Nana Kofi Bankyi and the Odikro of Cyanide community.

With the flood lights beaming, Duker Ladies and Tarkwa Royals football clubs opened the Turf with a match which saw the former beating the latter.

Editorial: The non-functioning traffic lights palaver is worrying

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THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

Available statistics indicate the current population of Accra stands at 2,605,000, which is a 1.88% increase over the 2021 figure that stood at 2,557,000. The latter is also an increase of 1.71% from the 2020 figure of 2,514,000.

It is also estimated that the whole of Greater Accra has the highest number of registered vehicles in the country, which currently stands at 1,164,942.

The above statistics clearly show that Accra’s population is not only growing, but doing so alongside the number of vehicles plying its roads. This means we cannot pretend as if nothing is happening.

The city authorities must wake up and start planning on how to contain the population growth and the concomitant effect on movement of cars in the metropolis.

The Chronicle, however, admits that all the assemblies constituting the Greater Accra metropolitan area and the government  has not disappointed the country when it comes to planning Accra, though there is still room for improvement.

Not only has roads in Accra been expanded, but alternative routes have also been constructed to help control the heavy traffic build-up, especially during the rush hours.

The Department of Urban Roads and the various assemblies have also collaborated to ensure that traffic control lights have been installed at all the major intersections in the city.

Though this is meant to control the movement of vehicular traffic, sadly the desired results are not being achieved. The failure to constantly maintain these traffic lights is creating traffic mess in the city with attendant effect on productivity.

The Motorway Extension was reconstructed by the John Agyekum Kufuor-Atta Mills administrations to help ease traffic build-up in the central part of Accra. But today, some of the traffic lights on this major road are not working.

As a result of this, commuters spend several working hours in traffic on this particular road. A similar problem is happening on the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange-Madina-Adenta road.

Even the Liberation Road, which is the main road in Accra, has not been spared this non-functioning traffic lights ordeal.

The Chronicle is, therefore, appealing to the appropriate authorities to tackle the problem head-on.

In our view the contract for the erection of these traffic lights should not be one-off. We suggest that the contractor who wins the bid should also be charged with the responsibility of maintaining them.

Clearly, the current problems have emerged because no one has been tasked to monitor the performance of the traffic lights on 24-hour basis.

For us as a country, we need to accept the fact that the long hours spent in traffic affects our productivity and consequently the growth of Gross Domestic Products (GDP).

This is another reason why the authorities must sit up and address the non-functioning traffic lights palaver.

Of course, in making this recommendation, we have not taken our minds off the economic problems facing the country. Nevertheless, fixing the problem, we dare say, will not bring the national economy to its knees.

Agyemang Manu insists advance payment made before LC was established

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

The Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, says he would eat back his words that advance payment was made for the purchase of some ambulances before letters of credit were established if substantial documents prove otherwise.

This was as Mr. Agyemang Manu under cross-examination by Dr. Abdul Aziz Bamba, defence counsel for the former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr.Cassiel Ato Forson, yesterday, that he was not privy to some documents in relation to the procurement of the ambulances.

With that Dr. Bamba suggested to the Health Minister that “In [the] light of your lack of knowledge about the submission of documents to the paying bank, will you still maintain your view that there was advance payment in the ambulance transaction?” to which the latter answered, “Yes I will until I get some evidence.”

According to the counsel there was evidence before the court, presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, that the Ministry of Health approved all payments under the Letters of Credit for the purchase of the ambulances.

The following are some questions and answers from the cross-examination:
Q. You have stated in your testimony that the contract that was executed between government through the Ministry of Health and Bank of Ghana did not allow for advance payment. Is that correct?

A. Yes.
Q. And you have also confirmed that Letters of Credit are not payments, but guarantees of payment subject to certain conditions being met?
A. That is correct.

Q. Is it your testimony that as far the ambulance contract was concerned an advice payment was made to Big Sea?
A. That is so.
Q. I suggest to you that no advance payment was made to Big Sea?
A. I do not agree to that.

Q. You admitted in your testimony that payment for the ambulances was done by Letters of Credit?
A. That is correct.

Q. Have a look at Exhibit B. Read clause 4 on the terms of the payment?
A. Reads. There shall be no advance payments…
Q. What do you understand by the term Letters of Credit on sight of goods?

A. To establish Letters of Credit as guarantee of payment…
Q. Letters of Credit on sight of goods means payment is made when the required documents are presented to the bank?

A. Yes.
Q. And in this particular transition, the Bank of Ghana made payment only after the requisite documents had been presented to the recipient bank. Are you aware of that?

A. No.
Q. I suggest to you that payments under the Letters of Credit were made upon the requisite documents had been presented to the paying bank?

A. I am not aware of any requisite documents submitted to any bank that will meet the requirements to enable the bank to make the payments. My lady, Exhibit C on page 6(a) …copy of pro forma invoice… these are documents that were supposed to be submitted to the bank, and as I said, I am not aware any of these were presented.

Q. I am putting to you that these documents were submitted to the paying bank?
A. I still insist that I am not aware.
Q. And the Ministry of Health was aware of the submission of these documents?

A. I have stated that through my search at the Ministry, I have never sighted any correspondence that indicated so.
Q. And there is evidence before this court that the Ministry of Health approved all payments under the Letters of Credit?

A. I am not aware of any such documents.
Q. In the light of your lack of knowledge about the submission of documents to the paying bank, will you still maintain your view that there was advance payment in the ambulance transaction?

A. Yes, I will until I get some evidence.
Q. Are you also aware that it was the Controller and Accountant General who wrote to the Bank of Ghana to establish the Letters of Credit for the ambulances?

A. I am not aware of that.
Q. Have a look at Exhibit B. Read the second paragraph?
A. You are hereby advised to establish an irrevocable Letters of Credit of…

Q. Who signed the exhibit?
A. The Deputy Controller and Accountant General.

Q. So you will agree with me that when you stated that A1 (Ato Forson) instructed the Bank of Ghana to establish Letters of Credit that wasn’t correct?

A. My Lady, can I make reference to Exhibit A. I will like to read the whole text. Reading. “Heading: Request to establish Letters of Credit. It is a letter to Governor of Bank of Ghana for the establishment of Letter of Credit of €3.950m for 50 ambulances in favour of Big Sea. This was signed by A1, and I rely on this letter.”

When I go back to Exhibit B, it makes reference to the Ministry of Finance letter of request.

To be continued

Ursula Owusu in hot water; over re-tatting her street over deplorable roads in constituency

By
AGNES ANSAH
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The re-tarmacked street in front of the MPs home
The Okine Jata street

The residents of Okine Jata in the Ablekuma West Constituency have promised to give Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) a hostile reception if she dared campaign in the area as the election season approaches.

This was in reaction to a recent re-tarring of the road in front of her home, at the expense of others in even more deplorable conditions and requiring urgent attention.

The residents said by her action, she had prioritised her comfort above the pressing needs of the constituents, hence, the outburst.

The Okine Jata Street, just 50 metres away from her home, was so bad that the residents petitioned the Ablekuma West Municipal Assembly (AWMA) in June, this year, for a solution.

But the petition was greeted with the usual chorus of “no resources; our engineers will follow up later.”

The petition

A few weeks after that, however, the road in front of the Member of Parliament’s (MP’s) house was re-coated, an action that has incurred the fury of the residents. To them, the tarred road in front of her house could have waited while attention was given to the deplorable Okine Jata road.

The residents say Okine Jata Street is a vital link to Zabrama Line, Shukura, Lartebiokorshie and Banana Inn from the Dansoman High Street and deserved attention.

One of the petitioners, Godwin Sarpong, told The Chronicle that any time it rained his octogenarian mother suffers a lot, as her room gets flooded, and the family spends days to clean up the mud residue in the house.

According to Mr. Sarpong, the situation compelled him and other affected members of the community to send a petition to the Municipal Assembly in June.

Portions of the petition, which he made available to this paper, read: “We, the residents of Akine Jata Close in Dansoman, write to express our frustration at the state of our street, and respectfully petition the Abiekuma West Municipal Assembly to address our problem.

“The main drain in the B Opoku curve is choked in front of the Nicky Barbers building and the adjacent house, making it impossible for rain water from the Estates and the B Opoku curve to flow into the big drain at B Opoku Down.

The list of petitioners

“The situation causes frequent flooding of the untarred Okine Jata Close and people’s homes, and the desperate individual solutions only make things worse,” according to portions of the petition in the possession of The Chronicle.

It continued: “We implore the Assembly to organise a campaign to unblock the drains and grade the Okine Jata Close in a way that would channel water into the drain on the Beecham Road.

“The residents are willing and ready to support the Assembly in ensuring that this neighborhood’s upgrade materialises.”

Another petitioner, Carlton Cofie, told The Chronicle how he organised the neighbours, with funds from the local Pentecost Church, to construct the bridge linking Okine Jata Close and Beecham Road.

Mr. Cofie said some residents, out of frustration, had tried to remedy the situation by packing their entrances with cement blocks, creating a dangerous terrain for the children who love to play football in the street.

Lands Ministry pleads with Ashanti chiefs to support fight against galamsey

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Mr Mireku Duker and colleagues at the meeting with the chiefs

The resolve of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government against all odds to sanitise the small scale mining sector for it to contribute sustainably to the socio-economic development of the country is not aimed at chalking personal glory, but rather to protect and safeguard the country’s rich resources for future generations, Mr George Mireku Duker, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources responsible for Mining has said.

In a key note address to stimulate interest and exhort the minds of the traditional leaders and the youth of Ashanti Region to the all-important task of winning the galamsey fight, Duker said that there must be a collective resolve by Ghanaians that “never again should we mine in our river bodies.”.

He said such pledge should not be mere words of mouth but should be demonstrated through effective collaboration with government in its fight against illegal mining.

In an engagement with Officers of MMDA’s, chiefs and the public in the Ashanti Region, Mr.Duker stressed that the desire to ensure that future generations get access to safe water should be a motivating factor for all stakeholders to actively participate in the fight against illegal mining.

“We must all come together and declare that never again are we going to allow people mine in our river bodies. The good steps we are taking has caught the attention of other countries like Sudan, South Africa and Zambia who have all been here to study our small-scale mining regime.

“What is left for us to do is to protect our water bodies. We know it’s not an event and we may not be able to completely abolish illegal mining but we can reduce it to the barest minimum. It won’t be an easy battle but we can win. Government is doing its part, we must also do ours.

On the initiatives by government to reduce galamsey activities and increase revenue in the small-scale mining sector, the Deputy Minister disclosed that government will in the coming days commission the ‘situational room’ to monitor and coordinate activities on the ground remotely around the country.

By this arrangement activities of miners and mining equipment will be monitored and transmitted digitally to the office of the Minerals Commission.

This, he said, will complement the deployment of river guards to permanently patrol River bodies like the Offin, Ankobra and Pra.

He said the introduction of the Community Mining Scheme and others are means of encouraging sustainable mining activities.

Mr.Duker also addressed questions and comments from the chiefs, DISEC, Officers of the MMDAs and gave the firm assurance that the government will not give up on the fight against illegal Mining.

The Deputy Minister in charge of Lands and Forestry, Benito Owusu-Bio, in an opening remark appealed to the traditional authorities to provide their unflinching support to government to deal with the situation.

He stated that as custodians of the land and our culture, the traditional authorities have an obligation to protect the water bodies for generations yet unborn.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, in a brief remark commended the government for the fight and urged residents in the region to report illegal mining activities in their localities. He impressed upon the MMDCEs to help uproot the canker in order to save the region’s future.

Vivo Energy reacts to Atimpoku Shell filling station incident

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admin
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Vivo Energy

We confirm an incident which happened on Sunday 28 August, 2022 at our Adomi Bridge (Atimpoku) Shell Filling station.

There was water ingress into the underground Super tank after the heavy downpour in the area.  This resulted in the stalling of the engines for a number of customers who had earlier carried out transactions at the station.

On hearing of this unfortunate incident, sales at the station was immediately halted. All customers who were involved were also immediately contacted and alternative arrangements made for them where possible.

We continue to be in touch with the affected customers to ensure full closure whilst further investigations continue to permanently resolve the issue and prevent any future occurrence.

We apologize to all impacted customers whilst we work with our Technical Team to resolve this issue.

We wish to reassure all our cherished customers that this is an isolated case, and we remain committed to ensure the strictest levels of quality and safety at all our service stations.

Akufo-Addo eulogises Prof. Busia at audiobook launch

By
MAXWELL OFORI
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President Akufo-Addo reading the inscription after unveiling the Busia Foundation Cathedral project ongoing in Wenchi, Bono Region
President Akufo-Addo (3rd from right), shaking hands with former President John Agyekum Kufuor (seated), Abena P.A Busia (left), Ghana’s Ambassador to Brazil

President Nana Addo Dankwa has eloquently elucidated the legacy of the Prime Minister of the Second Republic, Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, describing him as a farsighted political figure.

According to the President, through his father he experienced the excellent leadership skills, vision for development, and sacrifices Prof. Busia made toward the creation of a free and democratic Ghana.

“I dare say our nation, and indeed Africa, has not seen a more farsighted political figure than Prof. Kofi Abrefa Busia,” the President remarked.

President Akufo-Addo was speaking on Monday, August 29, 2022, in Accra, at an event to celebrate the legacy of Prof. Busia, which event also launched an audiobook on the legacy of the late Prime Minister.

The gathering commemorated the 109th Anniversary of his birth; the 44th Anniversary of his death; and the 53rd Anniversary of the famous victory of the Progress Party he led in the 1969 General Elections.

In his remarks as the Special Guest, President Akufo-Addo observed that, while opponents of Prof. Busia were fearful of individual freedom as a potentially unbridled licence for adversity and distraction, Prof. Busia viewed it as a great allay of progress.

He added that Prof. Busia believed strongly in the role the State could play to enhance individuals’ freedoms effectively.

According to the President, the overthrow of Prof. Busia in the Second Republic meant that the country was deprived off the full impact of his agenda for development, as evidence abound that Ghana turned out poorer for it.

He pointed out, for imagination, where Ghana would have been now if Prof. Busia had been permitted to develop his visionary programme for rural development.

President Akufo-Addo was of the view, which he espoused in his address, that some of the ills of contemporary Ghana, such as rural-urban migration, could have been avoided.

ONE-PARTY STATE

President Akufo-Addo recalled that Prof. Busia’s emergence on the political scene of the country coincided with the period when one-party state ideologies were dominant on the continent and appeared to be more appealing and relevant to developing countries.

However, this position, Prof. Busia did not agree to, arguing strongly against the post-colonial myth in his book, ‘The Challenge of Africa’, that multiparty democracy was a luxurious western concept alien to African culture.

This myth, according to the President’s narration of the book, written in 1962, was propounded “with convenient ease” by most African fourth generation leaders.

He said: “Prof. Busia was unequivocal that democracy cannot endure if leaders and the people are not committed to it, do not understand it, or are not sincere to its principles.”

He believed that democracy could and must work in the country, and it was for this reason that he, along with others, literally risked their lives to ensure the nation’s freedom.

THE PROF

The audiobook launched yesterday is titled The Prof; a Heart of Faith – from Poor Boy to Prime Minister. It contains half a century of letters between Prof. K. A. Busia and the revered William Whittle, compiled and edited by Akosua Busia, his daughter.

On his Christian life, the book captures a sermon Prof. Busia once gave which was played back at the launch. A cathedral is under construction by the Busia Foundation International in Wenchi, Bono Region.

In attendance were former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Evangelist Dag Heward-Mills, founder of Lighthouse Chapel International (LCI),Abena P.A Busia, Ghana’s Ambassador to Brazil amongst others.

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