User talk:Kofigyimah/HM Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, Okyenhene (King of Akyem Abuakwa)

Okyenhene 1999 to Date
Okyenhene (King of Akyem Abuakwa): Osagyefuo Nana Amoatia Ofori Panin is the 35th King to have ascended the throne referred to as the Ofori Panin Stool. He ascended the throne on October 4th 1999, on the passing of his predecessor and brother, Nana Kuntunkununku II.

On ascending the throne, Nana Amoatia Ofori Panin pledged to introduce real economic development, commercial growth and the general progress and welfare of the people. In making this pledge, Osagyefuo referred in particular to the development of the child, health, education and environment noting that “the success of my reign is dependent totally on my ability as your leader to ensure that our future - our children – is really secure.” (Coronation speech, Oct. 11TH 1999)

In pursuance of his conviction to execute his promise to his people, the Okyenhene took a 12-week tour of Okyeman from February to April 2000. The tour exposed him to the vastness of his Kingdom and the extreme levels of deprivation: poor education and health and related facilities, and the lack of basic infrastructure such as potable water and electricity. Osagyefuo also saw the potential for investments and wealth creation in various sectors of economy.

Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has developed and began the implementation of some policies for the advancement and growth of his people as a means to achieve the objectives of his tenure. These, naturally, have a bearing and effect on the rest of the nation.

Chairman, Board of Directors: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2002-2008)
The agency is dedicated to continuously improving and conserving the country’s natural and human resources, and the environment, in particular. His Majesty’s vision is to promote popular co-management and protection to enhance the country’s environment as well as seek common local and international partnerships in achieving the set goals of the agency.

Chairman, Forest Plantation Development Fund Management Board (2004-2008)
Under the Chairmanship of Osagyefuo, the board which started with an initial capital of 70 billion cedis in 2002, increased resources to 104 billion cedis. 43 billion cedis have been disbursed to the Forestry Commission to support the National Forest Plantation Development Programme.

The Fund’s support has resulted in the cultivation of 53,000 hectares of tree plantation with more than 90 per cent of the plantation consisting of teak and indigenous timber tree species such as mahogany and ofam. 10 billion cedis has also gone out as loans to the private sector for plantation development. The Osagyefuo has brought his considerable management and interpersonal skills to bear on the work of the Fund Board.

Chairman and Patron, Ghana Society for the Blind
Okyenhene is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of GSB. On the initiative of the Okyenhene, the Ghana Society for the Blind instituted and launched a fund to support the blind, known as the Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin Fund for the Blind. It is to be managed by the Ghana Society for the Blind. The Fund aims to raise ¢1,000,000,000 (one billion cedis) to support an agricultural project, a computer centre and library for the blind. The fund is managed under the theme “Get the Blind off the Street.”

ENVIRONMENT
Osagyefuo has been very active in the campaign to save, maintain and develop to environment. He has initiated various programs and projects to execute those policy interests. The Okyenhene established the Okyeman Environment Foundation (OEF) to manage environment concerns in Akyem Abuakwa. The Foundation was officially launched during the second annual Okyeman Environment Week in 2001. The Foundation has launched a few programs to cover preservation, education and awareness creation.

Billboard Awareness
The OEF has initiated a billboard awareness campaign, which is ongoing. The first phase of the campaign involves the posting of billboards in some 140 towns in Okyeman, of which about 90 have been erected. The long-term objective is to post and maintain awareness billboards in all the settlements in the Kingdom.

Okyeman Environment Week
Okyenhene instituted the Okyeman Environment Week in 2000. The objective of the Week is to create awareness, educated and maintain the agenda for the conservation and maintenance of the environment within Okyeman. The event is held every year to coincide with World Environment Day on June 5th. Osagyefuo tours an average of 8 towns during the week to campaign on the chosen theme and the issues. As part of the Week’s commemoration, the Okyenhene introduced an awards scheme in 2001 for the following:

Environment Town of the Year Environment Town’s Chief Environment School of the Year

An additional award for “Brigade of the Year” has been added to the scheme.

Community Environment Protection Brigade
The OEF has also established the Community Environment Protection Brigade,(CEPB). This concept encourages the protection of the environment through the direct participation of communities.

By December 2001 a total of 140 communities had registered and established Brigades. Each Brigade employs the volunteer services of a minimum of 20 men and women from age 18. The Brigades provide an avenue for the potential development of more environment-conscious people through the facilitation of training and the provision of jobs that are environment-friendly and commercially viable. The Brigades are linked with the District Assemblies (local government system) in campaign. This concept is an institutional first, as far as the environment issue in Ghana is concerned.

The OEF won the Green Apple Awards presented at a prestigious ceremony hosted by the British Trade Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, at the House of Commons in 2003.

Chancellor, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Science
In 2002, the Okyenhene proposed to establish an educational institution dedicated solely to the development of environmental science. This would be the first of its kind in Ghana and Africa; it would develop skills in the environment, agricultural, eco-management and eco-tourism. He visited Wageningen University in Holland to seek technical support from the world’s leading education and research centre in plant, animal, environmental, agrotechnological, food and social sciences.

Osagyefuo and his team met with the president of the Executive Board of Wageningen UR, Aalt Dijkhuizen, and the director of the International Agricultural Centre of Wageningen UR, A. Bram Huijsman. The Board of the Wageningen sent a team to Ghana to visit the proposed site and have since collaborated in the establishment of the institution, as has Tuft University in Massachusetts, USA. In the last quarter of 2010, the Okyenhene will sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, to mark the start of a collaborative relationship between the two institutions in joint programming and research.

The college is also set to offer one-year top up degree courses in Nursing and Public Health from Anglia Ruskin University, Essex, England, who also sent a team to visit the college in May of 2010.

In June of 2010, the National Accreditation Board made a final inspection visit to the campus situated in Bunso in the Eastern Region. It is proudly affiliated to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

His Majesty is Chancellor of the university by virtue of the throne he occupies.

EDUCATION & CHILD WELFARE
Okyenhene is a strong advocate for child welfare and development. His Majesty has been out-spoken about child abuse and parental irresponsibility in the nation. He is also out-spoken about the poor state of facilities for child development.

During his tour of Okyeman the issue formed a major part of his deliberations with the people. It is his intention to facilitate the development of child welfare projects across Okyeman. Projects that are being developed include scholarships for students and teachers; library facilities; playgrounds and community centres.

His Majesty established the Okyenhene’s Annual Children’s Christmas Party to motivate children in Okyeman by awarding the top three primary students in each class. This project was launched in Kyebi in December 1999 and has since spread across the Okyeman annually with the help of philanthropists/sponsors/benefactors.

In 2001, the Okyenhene decided to separate the awards from the Christmas party, thus as of July 2002 Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin Student Awards have been given. The top three students from primary through JSS are eligible for the awards. Osagyefuo encourages children to study hard and aim high. He also motivates them to get into various areas of skills development.

He also established the Mama Akoto Memorial Trust (so named after his late mother), incorporated in 2009 and managed by a ten-member Board of Trustees, with focus on helping needy women and children in areas of education, health and other social needs.

Okyenhene is a strong advocate for education for the youth. In the period of his reign, he has, on many occasions, expressed concern about the low level of educational standards in Ghana.

His policy is to create a support mechanism for the development of education in Okyeman. His first step toward this was his organization and hosting of the first-ever Congress of Old Abucodians that brought together old students of Abuakwa State College to support its development. The objective was to establish the need for alumni to support their alma mater. Old Abuscodians recently cut the sod for the construction of a state of the art assembly has at Abuakwa State College to be named after the founder, Nana Ofori Atta I.

Abuakwa State College is significant for two primary reasons: It was established by Okyeman (the first educational establishment founded by a traditional ruler); It has produced two kings of Akyem Abuakwa; Nana Ofori Atta III and Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.

Nana Amoatia Ofori Panin has offered a few proposals to develop education. They include the resuscitation of the Akyem Abuakwa Scholarship Scheme and the provision of facilities such as libraries, books and equipment for various communities. To this end, a Commission on Education has been established to develop, execute and manage these proposals. Interest and support for projects are directed to the Commission through the Office of the Okyenhene.

HEALTH
Okyenhene is a strong advocate for proper health care management. In his presentation at his coronation, he emphasised the importance of health issues. At the 40th Anniversary celebrations of St Dominic’s Hospital in Akwatia, Osagyefuo outlined clearly his interests in the development of the health sector for his people.

HIV/Aids Education Week
As part of his policy interests, Osagyefuo has instituted the Okyeman HIV/AIDS Education Week, first held in November 2001. This was held to coincide with World Aids Day, December 1st. The Week is used by the Okyenhene to highlight the need to protect society and children, the need to maintain moral responsibility to family as a way of protection and need to be compassionate to infected and affected persons. The Okyenhene takes the opportunity to travel to various settlements in Okyeman educating men and women on the various opportunities for prevention.

Okyenhene hosted the national commemoration of World AIDS Day in Kyebi on December 1st 2001. (This is an unprecedented event in the history of Ghana and arguably the world, where a monarch directs the hosting of a globally commemorated event on a pressing global issue such as HIV/AIDS). He ran in a 5km race on that day to bring attention to the HIV/AIDS issue, another first in the annals of Okyeman history.

His Majesty tested for HIV publicly to encourage people to undergo voluntary testing. As part of his health policy concerns, the Okyenhene has established the Okyeman AIDS Foundation to manage the education against the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Advocacy for the Physically Handicapped
His Majesty is a passionate supporter of Free Wheelchair Mission, a nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, United States of America. This organization has supported more than 31,000 disabled people in 37 countries – from Angola to Mexico with the provision of wheelchairs. Through Osagyefuo’s advocacy, 40 organizations throughout the world help Free Wheelchair Mission find potential recipients.

For example, he is an enthusiastic supporter of Emmanual Ofosu Yeboah, national hero to his fellow Ghanaians. Emmanuel, accompanying the Okyenhene on his visit to the United States, was present at a fund-raiser at Strawberry Farms in California that drew 300 people and raised $250,000 in three hours.

With Osagyefuo’s support, guidance and constant inspiration, Ofosu Yeboah was the recipient of the distinguished Casey Martin Nike Award. Emmanuel was selected by an international panel of judges to represent Ghana as a torchbearer in the Olympic Torch Relay and the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. He was invited to the White House by President Bush for his exemplary role in the campaign.

Prince Charles and Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin
In June 2003, as part of a working visit to the United Kingdom, the Osagyefuo met with the Prince Charles at St. James’ Palace London. During the meeting, which lasted for almost one hour, an indication of the good-working chemistry between the two, Osagyefuo accepted the Prince’s offer to team up with him to tackle some of the problems confronting the youth such as poverty, illiteracy, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS and the promotion of organic agriculture.

He has also stressed the importance of agro-forestry schemes to ensure sustainable development and the contribution of appropriate technology to enhance rural development.

Global Environment Facility (GEF)
His Majesty’s meeting with Mohammed El-Ashry, the Chairman of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) of the World Bank realised the facility’s contribution of $848,000 towards a total cost of $1,477,000 to enhance biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of renewable natural resources in Okyeman through community based integrated natural resource management approaches.

The money was allocated to the OEF to develop a comprehensive study of the Atiwa Forest, a globally significant biodiversity area, which should result in a total inventory of natural resources. The Osagyefuo was able to convince the GEF to include a livelihoods component – a first for the GEF – which would assure the economic sustainability of fringe communities at Atiwa.

World Parks Congress: Co-Patron
Under the co-patronage of the Osagyefuo, the former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mr. Nelson Mandela and Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress was held in Durban, South Africa where Osagyefuo presented an incredibly well-received paper on policy guidance which led to an agreement of new commitments and policy guidance for protected areas worldwide. Osagyefuo shared the stage with King Zwelithini of the Zulu and President Ravalomana of Madagascar.

The Congress was attended by Heads of State and Government, Ministers and all major conservation and environment organisations the world over, as well as natural resource extracting companies and financial institutions.

BirdLife International: Honourary Vice President
BirdLife International strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. It is a global Partnership of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with a special focus on conservation and birds.

BirdLIfe International holds a World Conference and Global Partnership Meeting approximately every four years. Other Honorary Officials include Queen Noor of Jordan, HIH Princess Takamado of Japan and Baroness Young of Old Scone.

U.S. Congressional Awards: Special Guest
The Congressional Awards is a public/private partnership created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative, and service in America's youth. The Congressional Award provides a unique opportunity for young people to set and achieve personally challenging goals that build character and foster community service, personal development, and citizenship.

The Okyenhene was invited as a Special Guest with President Bush as the Guest of Honour. Other dignitaries were U.S Congressmen and Senators with whom Osagyefuo had private discussions with and continues to communicate with.

Silver Jubilee Celebration, Art of Living Foundation: Guest Speaker
The Art of Living Foundation is an international non-profit, educational, charitable and humanitarian organization which works in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, participating in a variety of committees and activities relating to health, education, sustainable development and conflict resolution.

It is the largest volunteer-based NGO in the world with a wide range of social, cultural, educational and spiritual activities. The foundation has touched over 20 million people, irrespective of age, race, nationality, religion and gender, in over 144 countries, across 5 continents. His Majesty addressed about 2.5million participants (a first for any Ghanaian leader) on Human Values and Volunteerism at this year’s conference in Bangalore, India.

Among the guests were Members of Parliament from diverse countries, representing their governments. Ms Tugsjargal Gandi, Minister of Health, Mongolia, Ms Monika Griefahn Member of Parliament, Germany, Mr Milinda Moragoda, Member Of Parliament, Sri Lanka, Mr Dino Debeljuh, His Excellency the Ambassador of Croatia to India, Dr Jutta Stefan Bastl, His Excellency the Ambassador of Austria to India, Dr Michael Nobel, Chairman of the Nobel Family Society, USA, Dr Myron Scholes, Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics, USA were only some of the dignitaries present.

Others included Karnatak governor T N Chaturvedi, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, and Deputy Chief Minister Yediyurappa, President of Slovenia, various religious leaders, and many more guests from across the globe. APJ Abdul Kalam, President of India Justice Venkatachaliah, former Chief Justice of India.

Prof. Jeffrey Sachs and Osagyefuo
On the invitation of Sarah, Duchess of York, Great Britain, Osagyefuo made a case for Africa in June 2006 where Prof.Jeffrey D. Sachs, world renowed economist and then Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, on the Millennium Development Goals, briefed participants on the internationally agreed goals to end extreme poverty, diseases, and hunger by the year 2015.

The Lord Williams of Mostyn and Osagyefuo
Osagyefuo and Lord Williams, Leader of the House of Lords (Lord President of the Council), UK Parliament, met in July 2003 on a wide range of issues of international and mutual interest at the behest of HRH Prince Charles. During the talks, Lord Williams indicated that he had followed Osagyefuo’s career with keen interest and commended the Osagyefuo for his initiative and drive aimed at finding solutions to problems confronting the Kingdom of Akyem Abuakwa and Ghana as a whole. He said that this is a lesson that needs to be learnt in Africa where there are traces of tension between the Government and traditional rulers.

Invitation to Netherlands Institute of Multi-Party Democracy (NIMD)
On the 13 September 2005, His Majesty was received by Mr Roel von Meijenfeldt, the IMD’s Executive Director, Mrs Simone Filipini, a member of the IMD’s Board, and Mr. Hans van Baalen, Chairman of the IMD’s Supervisory Council and Member of Parliament.

In his speech, the His Majesty, who has substantial influence on developments in Ghana, stressed the importance of traditional leadership in Africa and pleaded for the integration of traditional structures of dialogue into the formal political systems of democratic states. Such integration would require further decentralisation of the state apparatus.

The Okyenhene also pointed to the misconceptions in many western countries about African traditional leaders. Contrary to western popular belief his position does not allow him to be autocratic as his statements always need to be reviewed by a council of his followers.

The Bushmeat Campaign Conference
The Conference which sought to build on the Ministerial Declaration of African Forest Law Enforcement and Governance, considered best practices for managing bushmeat and wildlife in the forest zone in West and Central Africa.

In his address at the Bushmeat Campaign Conference, the Okyenhene noted that uncontrolled human activity had destroyed, depleted and degraded the environment which had further impoverished and worsened the plight of many rural communities in Africa.

Dignitaries present at the Conference were Honourable Gareth Thomas, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, DFID, Honourable Barry Gardiner, both British Members of Parliament, Mr. Enzo Barattini, Head of Agricultural and Environmental Development, European Union and Mr. Adam Matthews, Director of Bushmeat Campaign.

Alluding to the success of Community Environment Protection Brigade he established in his traditional area, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin pointed out that the momentum of the crusade against environmental degradation could only be sustained through the provision of employment opportunities and alternative livelihood for the rural unemployed.

Address to U.K. Parliamentary Committee
The Osagyefuo in 2003 addressed members of the International Development Committee of Parliament chaired by the Honourable Tony Baldry, M.P. – another first for any traditional ruler in Ghana.

Osagyefuo was able to put across the case for better trade relations between the UK and Ghana and advocated the reconsideration of non-tariff and other special barriers to trade which severely hamper Ghanaian businesses.

Osagyefuo also addressed the Committee on Forestry trade issues. A year later, he was the Special Guest at a dinner hosted by the Honourable Tony Baldry, which was attended by top officials of major forestry related companies in the United Kingdom and the object of which was to enable Osagyefuo interact with such officials for the first time.

Okyenhene and the Dutch Foreign Ministry
In September 2005, the Okyenhene met with Agnes van Ardenne, the Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation. The discussion centred on the proposed collaboration between the Dutch university and Okyeman.

His Majesty urged the Dutch government to support the collaboration project. In response, Ms van Ardenne responded that already such funding mechanisms exist. For example, the country’s Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Agriculture, Nature management and Fisheries offer funding to Wageningen UR’s International Agricultural Centre.

The Laureus Sports Awards and the Formula 1 Race, Monaco, Spain
The Laureus World Sports Academy has been established to celebrate the best in sport around the world, and to make the most of sport’s role in the world. The Academy aims to promote all that is positive and worthwhile in sport, and to reinforce the work of all those who stand up for fair play, honest effort and the joy of taking part.

The Founding Patrons of the Academy, DaimlerChrysler and Richemont, are united by a shared passion for sport, and a shared commitment to it over many years.

Osagyefuo was invited by Formula One supremo British billionaire, Bernie Ecclestone, to observe the awards in Barcelona, Spain, May 2006. He met with international sports personalities such as Rafael Nadal, Michael Schumacher, Bobby Charlton, Boris Becker, Fernando Alonzo of Formula One fame, the seventh president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch and the FIFA president, Sepp Blatter.

Other dignitaries present were King Juan Carlos of Spain and Prince Albert II of Monaco. Osagyefuo received a special invitation from Prince Albert II to his Monaco Palace to meet with other monarchs and world leaders including the Crown Prince of Bahrain when he next visited Monaco for the Grand Prix.

Appointment to the African Advisory Council: The Prince’s Rainforest Project
The Prince of Wales, HRH Prince Charles, appointed the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, a member of the Advisory Council to the Prince’s Rainforest Project (PRP).

The PRP was set up in October 2007 by Prince Charles to find practical solutions to slow tropical deforestation and combat climate change. Its main aim is to help the world community recognize the true value of forests by identifying ways to value, and then pay for, the crucial “ecosystem services” that rainforests provide.

The Okyenhene, who is renowned for his passionate fight against deforestation and environmental degradation in Ghana, accepted the Prince’s invitation wholeheartedly and is optimistic that the PRP is exactly what Africa and the rest of the world needs to combat global warming.

The Council draws members from various backgrounds in different countries including DR Congo’s Ambassador to South Africa, appointee of the government of Sierra Leone, among other prominent and influential personalities.

The PRP is backed by 13 major companies: Shell, Rio Tinto Zinc, McDonald’s, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Sun Media, Sky, Deutsche Bank, Man Group, KPMG, Barclays Bank, Finsbury and the European Climate Exchange.

The Council held its maiden meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa in August 2008.

Ghana Substance Abuse Recovery Programme
As a result of his demonstrated and legendary interest in the welfare of all people, Osagyefuo was invited by Hugh Masekela, world-renowed South African Musician, to be patron of the G-SARP, which develops programmes persons who wish to quit the use of illicit drugs.

Charities AID Foundation(CAF) West Africa
As a British non-governmental charity, CAF works towards a world in which giving effectively in a committed way is a recognised part of everyday life. In doing this, CAF helps both individual and company donors, as well as charities.

For individuals, CAF makes it easy to find charities and donate to them tax efficiently, for companies, we help set up donation, volunteering and community investment schemes, for charities, we offer low-cost banking, financial and training services to make donations go further.

Ghana Eye Foundation,(GEF)
The Ghana Eye Foundation seeks to create awareness and mobilise resources to support the provision of a sustainable, equitable and quality eye health service by well-trained and appropriately motivated personnel to all residents in Ghana.

Cleaner Communities, Ghana
Osagyefuo has recently joined the Cleaner Communities Organisation as Patron to champion the the cause of domestic environmental cleanliness all over the country. The campaign is still in preparation stages, roping in stakeholders to take-off.