Man who initiated Ghana documentary dies

Accra, Aug. 2, GNA -- Mr Leonard Robinson (Jnr), the man who initiated and helped Ghana to produce the documentary dubbed: "The Presidential Tour" is dead.
Mr Robinson, 63, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the African Society, died on July 25 after a short illness at the Washington Hospital Centre, USA according to family sources.
He premiered the Discovery Channel with the aim of portraying Africa positively to the United States.
Mr Edward Boateng, CEO of Global Media Alliance, in a tribute said Ghana and Africa as a whole had lost a great friend.
"Leonard was a great friend of Africa, who spent a lot of time trying to influence and change the negative perceptions of Africa in the United States," he said on Tuesday at a ceremony to mark the one-week celebration of the death.
Mr Boateng said Mr Robinson's partnership with Discovery Communications to portray Africa to the United States was a remarkable achievement.
The ceremony was attended by Mr Krobo Adusei Jnr, Managing Director (MD) of Safe Bond Ghana Limited, a stevedoring company; Mr Ben Ohene Ayeh, Public Relations Manager of the Ghana Tourist Board and Mr Asare Otchere-Darko, Editor of the Statesman Newspaper.
Mr Boateng said Mr Robinson was in Ghana last March to participate in the 49th independence anniversary and was very enthusiastic about participating in the 50th anniversary.
Mr Robinson served two terms as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa during a career in international relations.
During the Reagan Administration, Mr Robinson oversaw the economic and commercial policy at the State Department when he returned to the Africa Bureau in 1990. He coordinated the US policy towards West and Central Africa and directed US diplomatic efforts to end the Liberia civil war.
Mr Robinson also propelled the Africa Society into powerful voice circles.
Mr Robinson is survived by two daughters, Rani Robinson of Washington DC; Kemberley Robinson of Houston, Texas; his mother, Winnie Robinson of Durham, North Carolina and a brother Dr Micheal Robinson of Los Angeles, California.