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Need for Ghanaian leaders to make hard choices for
development
Accra, June 16, Ghanadot/GNA– Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia
Ofori Panin II, has said there was the need for Ghanaian
leaders to make hard choices in order for the country to
realize the necessary change that would put it on the path
of real development and prosperity.
“We have more than enough resources and knowledge in this
country to have made our people prosperous by now, but I am
not too sure if we have the wisdom, the will and the courage
to make the hard choices for change.
“But like Barack Obama, I believe that ‘Change, yes we
can,’” he said.
Osagyefo Ofori Panin II made these remarks at the launch of
a book on 700 years of history of the Akyem Abuakwa State,
on Friday in Accra.
The 245-page colourful book, entitled the Royal Akyem
Kingdom, Ghana, written and published by Arthur Kwesi Amfoh
Kwakyie, grandson of the Osagyefo Ofori Panin I, catalogues
the business, leisure and educational opportunities that
existed in the Akyem Abuakwa state.
The book, written after seven years of research, also
contains a roll call of past Kings of the Royal Akyem
Kingdom and their separate contributions not only to that
state but to Ghana as a whole.
It did not leave out the rich contribution of the sons of
the Akyem Abuakwa state to Ghana’s politics and business.
Personalities like J. B. Danquah, William Ofori Atta, Edward
Akufo-Addo and Ako Adjei, all members of the Ghana’s famous
big six and Dr. Ken Ofori Ata and Mr, Prince Kofi Amoabeng,
who were recently voted the two most respected Chief
Executive Officers in Ghana featured prominently therein.
Indeed Osagyefo Ofori Panin II himself the reigning king of
the state featured prominently in the book for his nine
years of tangible developmental contribution to the state in
the areas of environment, education and health.
The Okyenhene noted that there were many attitudes,
lifestyles and traditions, which were hailed as untouchable
ancestral legacies but which were indeed impediments to the
people’s health, productivity and development.
“We need to gather the courage to change some of those
so-called ancestral legacies and embrace science and
technology which offer enormous opportunities for us to live
healthier, more productive and prosperous lives.”
He said in making the hard choices now, the present
generation should realize that “it is not about us but about
our children and the future of our dear country”.
Osagyefo Ofori Panin said the future well-being of
generations yet unborn largely depended on the systems that
the present generation would put in place.
He called on politicians and political parties gunning for
the presidency and seat of government to exercise restraint
in their campaigns to ensure that the country remained
peaceful after the 2008 Election.
“President John Agyekum Kufuor will be 70 years very soon
after he leaves office and I believe the best 70th birthday
gift we can give him is to present him with a peaceful
country after the 2008 Election,” he said.
The Okyenhene called on other kingdoms in the country to
also document their history in detail for the benefit of
both the present and future generations.
Even though President Kufuor, guest of honour for the book
launch, was originally not billed to speak, the audience
urged him to do so and he praised the author and Okyenhene
for a good work saying the book was a worthy cause that
promised to be the beginning of the restoration of the lost
civilization of the Akan state.
President Kufuor said all the seven Akan states were one
people with one history but “we lost our civilization due to
division and the failure of our forefathers to properly
document our history”.
He alluded to the colour of Ghanaian kente cloth and noted
that the Akyem Kingdom was only one string in the kente
cloth, which needed all their other strings to shine in
order to weave the beautiful kente cloth called Ghana.
President Kufuor, therefore, called on all the other states
in the country to emulate example of the Royal Akyem state
and properly document their history for the benefit of
posterity.
Touching on the need for courage and wisdom for change,
President Kufuor said: “We have the wisdom to change for the
better, but what we need is enough fellow feeling that would
make us want to do things for the betterment of all and not
only for ourselves.”
He said amidst global oil and food crisis, Ghana was at an
advantage with the recent oil discovery in commercial
quantities.
President Kufuor said “If this does not encourage us as a
people to want to live for our country then I don’t know
what else will.”
Dr. Mensah Otabil, Chancellor of Central University College,
who launched the book, said it should encourage other states
in the country to do the same, adding that chieftaincy
should not be an institution for people to occupy stools but
an opportunity for them to bring tangible development to the
country.
Professor Alex Kwapong, former Vice Chancellor of University
of Ghana, who presided over the event, said modern
chieftaincy demanded that the occupants of the throne did
more than just occupying it but they should lead the people
to prosperity.
He said the Okyenhene and the present Agbogbomefia of the
Asogli state in the Volta Region were shinning examples of
that.
Several offers were made for the first few copies of the
book during an auction, but Dr. Ken Ofori Ata of Databank
topped them all with a 10,000 Ghana cedis purchase, followed
by another high official of Databank, Kelly Gadzekpo with
5,000 Ghana cedis.
Those in attendance included the Vice President Alhaji Aliu
Mahama, the Chief Justice Mrs. Justice Georgina Wood,
members of the Council of State, ministers of state and
parliamentarians, members of the diplomatic corps as well as
traditional rulers and the clergy.
GNA
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