The Mampong Akuapem Traditional Council in collaboration with the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) is to hold the maiden edition of the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Lectures at the Alisa Hotel in Accra on August 16.

The community partnership initiative will be held under the theme: “Setting the Agenda for Africa’s Global Market Competitiveness”.

The theme will draw perspective from Tetteh Quarshie’s exploits with Cocoa and the Cocoa Industry with the global market being led by Ghana-Cote D’ivore as the lead producers of the commodity.

A committee from the UBGS, led by Dr. Kwasi Dartey-Baah, a Lecturer/Consultant, Department of Organization and Human Resource Management, on Wednesday held discussions with the chiefs at the Mampong Akuapem Traditional Council to finalize preparations towards the programme.

Dr. Dartey-Baah said the School shall be responsible in facilitating the conduct and content of the programme.

He said it was also part of activities marking the 50th Anniversary of the school affiliating with the University of Ghana.

Dr. Dartey-Baah said Tetteh Quarshie’s exemplary life and achievements would be a preamble to coaching and inspiring the current and younger generation, corporate leaders, and institutional executives across the country and sub-region.

“The Lectures and Seminar will provide the opportunities for its patrons to examine the personality, skills, ambitions and success of Tetteh Quarshie and their relevance to current business enterprises and corporate leadership”.

He said the lectures would be organized annually in commemoration of the life of Tetteh Quarshie who spent and lived his adult life at Mampong Akuapem as an entrepreneur.

The annual programme will address topical issues on Enterprise Development, Corporate Governance, Pan-Africanism and Global Business Perspectives among others.

Osabarima Kwame Otu Darte III, Mampong Akuapemhene, said the annual lectures would uplift the image of the town and honour Tetteh Quarshie who died 125 years ago.

He said it was important to Honour Tetteh Quarshie saying, but for his selfless efforts to bring cocoa beans to Ghana, the country’s economy would not be able to stand on its feet.

Osabarima Darte appealed that more students from the area are given scholarships to enable them to further their education to higher levels.

Tetteh Quarshie first started his trade occupation as a Master Blacksmith at Mampong Akuapem after learning his trade with the Basel Missionaries at Akropong Akuapem.

He later travelled to then Fernando Po now (Equatorial Guinea) and returned to Ghana once again settling at Mampong Akuapem and cultivated the first commercial cocoa farm in the country.

The cocoa attracted a lot of attention from other farmers who agreed to acquire the crop from him increasing its cultivation.

He was equally instrumental in the trading of the beans locally among the farmers and with others abroad beginning the cocoa marketing industry from Mampong Akuapem***