UNITED KWAHU ASSOCIATION PROPOSES 135 MILLION CEDIS DEVELOPMENT PLAN
“Unity: A Tool for Development” was the theme for 2002 summit of the United Kwahu Association (UKA) in North America, which comprises of the Kwahuman Associations in the US and Canada. This year’s event was held and hosted by the Kwahuman Association of Chicago. The summit, which drew over 70 delegates from North America and Canada, was held from August 30 to September 2, 2002.
Among the issues discussed during this national summit were financing of educational and Health projects for calendar year 2003. These projects, according to Mr. Steve Somua (General-Secretary of UKA) are estimated at 135 million cedis. He further explained that these projects are divided into 3 phases of which the first phase is for schools that need immediate attention. He mentioned the unhealthy environment within which students of Bepong-Kwahu Local Authority attend classes. He emphasized on the immediate attention required by the school by showing a video clip for participants to see. He promised that despite all constraints, the school at Bepong-Kwahu would be renovated and commissioned by January 2003, drawing a thunderous applause from the delegates.
The president from Kwahuman Association of Washington D.C., Mr. Sunku Sunku Baabu Donkor tasked all citizens to contribute in their small ways to finance educational and health-related projects on the kwahu ridge area. He further emphasized on the need to form a united front among all the towns in kwahu North and South to fight a common goal. Mr. Michael Essuman, the president of Kwahuman Association of New York, supported this by streesing that no one should feel left out because his or her town is not among the first phase of the projects. He declared the fair-mindedness with which the Board of directors, who hail from Pepease, Obomeng, Nkwatia and Mpraeso chose Bepong-Kwahu as a beneficiary. This, he went on, shows how united we are and called on others to join together to tackle the problems faced by the communities.
Mr. Kwabena Agyei, PRO from New York, advised the chiefs and elders of Kwahu communities to ensure all finances given to them are properly utilized for intended projects. On this note, Mr. Frederick Ansong-Dwamena of Abene-Kwahu called the chiefs to minimize cost by engaging the people in communal labor and hire only technical craftsmen. There were pleas from Nana Ntesohemaa and Mr. Koo Ofosu of Nteso, to the secretariat to consider the plight of schools in Nteso, where some school buildings have collapsed and students attend classes outside. Mr. Ansong-Dwamena, referring to it as “academic suicide” in this modern world, described this situation as intolerable.
Delegates, in their resolution passed, called all citizen both home and abroad, to think about home and help develop deprived areas. In their call, they asked citizens to disabuse their minds of the socio-economic misconception that, it is the government’s responsibility to finance all projects. Mr. Kwabena Bekoe of New York gave as a good example the Nkawkaw-Atibie road which has not seen any improvements despite promises from various governments. Present at the 2002 summit were delegates from Chicago, Connecticut, Dallas, New York, Montreal, Washington. Other VIPs were Nana Akosua Asantewaa, kwahuman of Chicago, Nana Asuo Afram, Kwahuhene of Chicago, Nana Okai Duam, Donkokromhene, Nana Ntesohemaa and others. The Kwahuman Association of New York will host the 2003 summit and it promises to be another success as member associations have pledged their full participation.
kwahuman Association is not-for -profit organization that seeks to help less deprived ones on the kwahu ridge area. We recently had a congress to discuss issues concerning kwahuman and its citizen. Attached is report that was written to be posted. The motive is to let other citizens of kwahu to know our effort and may be join us to fight a common goal.
