Accra, Oct.27, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor left Accra on Friday night for the United Kingdom on an official visit. President Kufuor has been invited as an International Guest Speaker at two major gatherings of World Scholars in Oxford, United Kingdom on October 29 and 31.

A release issued and signed by Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary before departure said these are the inauguration of the Association of Black Rhodes Scholars at Exeter College in Oxford and a special session of members of the prestigious Oxford Union that would focus on topical world issues and in particular on Ghana's leadership role in addressing development challenges confronting Africa.

The Oxford Union is noted for hosting influential world personalities with a record of international speakers like Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Mother Teresa; Winston Churchill; Richard Nixon; Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.

Exeter College is President Kufuor's Alma Mater and it has begun a Scholarship Scheme it has named after him. This is open to Ghanaian residents at home who gain admission into the College. The College has started receiving applications for this Scholarship, worth 5,000 pounds sterling annually and tenable yearly from October 2008.

The release said the College instituted the Scheme in collaboration with Clarendon Award and the Kufuor Biographical Project. President Kufuor was seen off by some Ministers of State, Inspector General of Police, Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong and other government officials.