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This
is the capital of the Ashanti region of
Ghana. It used to be the capital also
of the old Ashanti empire. It is the second
largest city in Ghana. It contains a rich
history of inter-clan community organisation,
wealth promotion, kingdom grandeur, and
common defence. However its depths of
history could become a liability on its
ability to free itself from being over-tied
to the old Ashanti political kingdom in
order to participate promotionally, creatively,
and strategically in national and international
developments which take on a shared historical
reference or base. Perhaps the achievement
of an international airport for the capital
and a motorway between the capital and
Accra will present a new face and contribute
to a formula by which such a transition
would. be appreciated or taken up.
The following are some of my interactions
in the capital:
The University of Science and Technology
I first opened up my concerns for Church
and Academy partnership, especially in
the work of community planning and social
transformation with the Deputy Registrar.
I asked to meet the appropriate department
or faculty. He suggested that I talked
to the Department of Planing. The head
of the department is Professor Adarkwa.
I
had three (3) meetings with the Professor
and his colleague Dr Nsiah Peprah. After
these working meetings, both sides agreed
in principle to promote a collaborative
venture. The aim generally was to offer
orientation, planning and development
experience/training for people working
in the development field. A memorandum
of understanding has been discussed and
reviewed. Dr Nsiah-Preprah (who is assisting
the Head of the Department of Planning
in his partnership development) is a Commissioner
of the Ghana's National Development Planning
Commission. He represented the Ashanti
region on the Commission. The Department
also has Professor Tamakloe who is also
a Commissioner on the Commission.
The
Institute for Community and Development
Studies in London would utilise the collaboration
to build on a programme it launched in
1994 which is known as British Leaders
African Learning. This programme supports
UK urban ministry leaders (particularly
white leaders) to visit Africa and encounter
other perspectives of social change and
urban development. This collaboration
would create further space to advance
the objectives of this programme. It will
also allow the students and staff of the
Institute for Community and Development
Studies in the UK who want to do sandwich
courses or conduct research in Ghana to
do so within a proper study/research arrangement.
It
was agreed that on arrival in the UK,
I write to the Vice Chancellor of the
University informing him of discussions
so far and proposing the memorandum of
understanding. I understand that the VC
will then forward it to the Department
for comments. The Department will look
at it again and hopefully recommend. It
is envisaged that an agreement can be
reached before the end of the year.
The
Department makes a distinction between
their MPhil and their MSc. MSc is for
professional practice. MPhil is for the
furthering of academic work. The Department
can run short courses in the fields of
orientation, planning, and development.
The Cambridge Teacher-Training College.
This college had started as a private
primary school. It has become the first
private school in Ghana to be accredited
by the Ghana Education Service and the
University of Cape Coast to run as a recognised
post-secondary Teacher-Training College.
A memorandum of understanding has been
reached between Institute for Community
and Development Studies and this College
to train Churches community development
workers alongside the mainstream teacher-training
courses. A copy of the memorandum (draft)
is available. There is scope to develop
and harness for voluntary sector and private
sector co-operation.
The Regional Office of the Association
of Ghana Industries
The Regional Manager is Mr E E K Acquah-Moses.
He shared that the current emphasis of
the association is in capacity development.
They needed to support the industrial
entrepreneurs in the region. I shared
the concern for the industrial workers/labourers
as well. I mentioned the need for industrial
chaplains and spelt out the development
aspects of the job. He realised that the
association had not realised the potential
of the work of industrial chaplains. He
stated that there was only one industrial
chaplain in the city and they only called
him to say the prayers at the Association's
AGM or functions.
The Kumasi Industrial Chaplaincy
I have made efforts to have a meeting
with the industrial chaplain in the city.
I learn he is quite aged.
While
waiting for that opportunity, I have managed
to produce a draft for training some assistant
Church leaders as industrial chaplains.
I discussed with few Church leaders from
the independent Churches.
I
went to the Kumasi District Labour Office,
to seek their support and collaboration
for the training. (Their full contact
address is:- P.O.Box 58, Kumasi. Tel.
26281.) The staff I made contact with
is Solomon Okrah)
I
have accepted to write a proposal to them,
and follow-up with a discussion. The Regional
Labour Senior Officer is Mr Owusu Osafo
- Tel 26583. I am yet to send the proposal,
since I have not yet met the industrial
chaplain of the city. I see the possibility
of involving the Centre for the Development
of People (CEDEP) in the training.
The Centre for the Development of People
(CEDEP)
This appears to be the largest local NGO
in Ghana. I was given a tour of the history
and evolving departments of the organisation
by the Administration staff. The have
a 'Women in Development' programme. Institute
for Community and Development Studies
ladies may do a joint exercise in the
future. Mrs Boadicea Ama Prempeh, is the
Manager for the 'Women in Development'
programme, Tel. 51-22971; Fax 28026
The Export Promotion Council Kumasi
The staff I met introduced themselves
as Mr Banahene and Ms. Olivia. We were
later joined by Mr Agyemang Duah (Tel.
23987, at Pine Avenue, Ministry of Health
flat) who works with the Food and Drugs
Board (formerly of the Standards Board).
I
am to get a contact with Mr Ben Botwe,
Accra, Deputy Chief, Food & Drugs
Board - Tel. 021-661248. The Food and
Drugs Board will assist with Registration,
Packaging, Quality Control Aspects including
Processing and Technology as well as EU
Regulations. Will be required to give
a sample of the product. The process towards
registration may take about one month.
The
Export Promotion Council concentrates
on market development - especially on
how best one can successfully enter the
market
LINDES
The acronym stands for London International
Network of Dressmaking Employment Schemes.
It is an initiative of one of the participants
in Institute for Community and Development
Studies community projects in London.
It has a group in Ghana and also in some
few English-speaking African countries.
I met with the group several times. I
encouraged every member of the group to
register for the National Vocational Training
Institute Examination. I have made contact
with Ms. Grace Vanderpuige of the examination
centre - Tel. 26282. She left for Accra
on official engagements in my last week
in Kumasi. I planned to leave a letter
with a list of possible candidates (from
LINDES) to her - on matters relating to
the registering of all LINDES (Ghana)
members to have a vocational certificate.
This is one step in giving the candidates
awareness of international standards and
competition. Sponsoring Churches may team
up to run a consortium. A project worker
may be needed to serve as the catalyst.
The Kumasi-Suame Dilemma and Prospects:
This area of the city is named 'the motor
car multiple garage and body-building
centre'. It provides apprenticeship for
hundreds of young people. It offers potentially
a good market for a laundrette and an
over-all clothing or trade suits. Churches
can initiate these schemes which would
operate as much as 24 hours - to serve
the mechanical yards, shops and the other
employers/employees. The Community Renewal
Church which is within the area has conceived
a project along these lines.
The Sinapi Aba Trust
This Trust's name interprets as 'Mustard
Seed Trust'. It is a micro-enterprise
and a short-term financial lending work.
It is recognised as a leading partner
in the Opportunity International (a global
network of such development organisations).
The President of the Ghana Sinapi Aba
Trust currently holds the international
presidency of the Opportunity International
I
met the President, Mr Kwabena Darko. Even
though he was preparing to travel to Chicago
for the Opportunity International headquarters
meeting, he save about an hour for sharing.
Both agreed to visit together some urban
development and local employment sites
at my next visit to Ghana.
Before
meeting the President, I met with the
staff including the Managing Director
of the Trust. I observed that they have
achieved a strong work-capacity among
the staff. Both the business promotion
achievements and the spiritual-foundation
records of their clients are impressive.
The Grace Baptist Church
This Church is at the hub of a busy area
of the city - surrounded by the Kumasi
Technical College, the busy Kumasi-UST-Accra
road, a booming FM Radio station, a secondary
school, and the city's only Polytechnic.
The Church runs a school, a successful
credit union club, a career-guidance and
job training activity, and a fairly trained
Church staff. I was given a round-tour
of both the Church's worship and discipleship
programmes as well as the community programmes
offered by the Church.
The
leader, the Rev. Dr Kojo Osei-Wusu, gave
the briefing for the most part. He was
assisted by some of the projects' senior
staff. The Church and its various activities
presents a picture of a self-developing
community. The next day, I took a group
of people from a Christian school project
about thirty (30) miles away to visit
this Church and its projects - for learning,
advice or contact.
With the local Churches generally
I noted that Churches will have to provide
an inspirational dimension and the moral
cause for a wide section of society -
and encourage individuals who are serving
voluntarily as social reconcilers or community
reconciliators. I recognised that such
was a right step towards encouraging a
society of mutual understanding among
the various stakeholders. I noted that
this role of the Church is a critical
one - happening in an daily shifting society,
particularly one which is rapidly moving
away from the rural community-relationships
to more and more of market-led urban society.
I
often expressed that there was the need
to attract and befriend people internationally,
especially people who compose the mid-level
manpower and professional strength in
their respective societies. Both the audience
and myself recognised the need to have
a directory of such international persons.
We also felt that a focus or search must
be applied to assess the range/level of
entrepreneurship in the capital and the
region. That, among other things, will
help to steam up the marketing of the
skills and specialisations available.
The Churches were encouraged to pray for
the success of all such moves/events.
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