On Saturday January 10, 2015 the DMV Chapter of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Alumni held their end of year Dinner dance and elected new officers to steer the affairs of the association. The event was held at the Comfort Inn in Springfield, Virginia.
The outgoing president of the KNUST Alumni, Mr. Kweku Boateng (Rapsay) expressed his appreciation to the executives who had worked with him over the years in making the association gain strong roots in the community.
The special guest of honor was the new Ambassador from Ghana to United States, Lt. Gen J.H Smith, and The Ambassador was accompanied by his wife and some embassy officials.
The Chairman of the occasion, a KNUST Alumni Mr. Adolf Kofi Afful who happens to be the immediate past President of the Council of Ghanaian Associations (COGA) used the occasion to appeal to the Government of Ghana through the Ambassador to facilitate the implementation of the Representation of the Peoples Act (ROPA) to enable Ghanaians in the Diaspora to exercise their franchise in elections in Ghana. He also appealed to the Government to re consider the taxes on import duties to facilitate the convenience in trading for Ghanaians in the Diaspora.
His Excellency, J.H Smith who was the key note speaker commended the KNUST Alumni for their individual academic credentials and appealed to them to set aside their political affiliations and focus on contributing their quota towards transforming Ghana into a trade hub in the sub region of Africa. The Ambassador went to on unveil his passion for establishing a database of Ghanaian Professionals in the United States.
He admonished the gathering to “consider the embassy as your home and utilize the facilities like the library where Ghanaian newspaper are available to read at your pleasure”.
He also admitted the various challenges Ghanaians are facing with the embassy the bulk of which he attributed to the consular section but he assured everyone that a lot of changes are being implemented and that those issues would very soon be a thing of the past.
He said his primary focus is to endeavor to maintain and strengthen Ghana’s long-established relations with the United States of America and work assiduously to promote and deepen Ghana’s strategic partnership and economic cooperation with the United States.
He concluded his speech which drew a thunderous applause by promising to avail himself at various Ghanaian functions if he is called upon.
The annual KNUST fund raising dinner has a hallmark of uniting Alumni in different year groups, old friends and families with the sole purpose of socializing, networking and raising funds to support the University. New officers were introduced by Augustus Tweneboah-Kodua (Auge) the publicity officer. After their nomination and acceptance, they were sworn into office by Mr. Kofi Afful.
The new President commended the outgoing officers for the tremendous job they have done and made a firm promise to continue where they are leaving off.
The Newly elected officers were, President, Janice Asare Bediako, Vice president, Toni Okine, Secretary, Ben Azumah, Treasurer-Chief Boamah, Assistant Treasurer -Sally Asare.

The KNUST North American Alumni Association - DC Chapter is made up of members in the Washington District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia regions. The members are former students, faculty and associates of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology who reside in the Washington Metro area.
Their main mission is to remain connected to their alma mater and improve on the networking of their members.