Conference Of Kwahuman Europe In Amsterdam

CONFERENCE OF KWAHUMAN EUROPE IN AMSTERDAM



The weekend of 10th December 2011 saw cross section citizens of the Kwahu Traditional area residing in Europe once again meeting in a conference in Amsterdam.

The conference titled “Unveiling Vision 2020” was organized by Kwahuman Europe and attended by representatives of all Kwahuman National Associations in Europe namely; Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom respectively.

The Special guest of honour Mr Opoku Ofosu aka Koo Fosu , chairman of the Board of Directors of Kwahu United of USA and Canada, and CEO of Jutaco Music Index.

In his message to the Conference, Mr Ofosu reiterated the importance and need to unite with a common objective and purpose.

He declared that the time has come to translate the previous numerous ground work in the form of meetings into concrete action in the form of projects needed by the Kwahu Traditional area.

In an official visit last year to the Kwahu Traditonal area, Mr Ofosu reported scenes of decaying communities lacking in essential basic amenities. He called on all Kwahu citizens, especially the well to do, to be philanthropic in their actions and turn their attention to their beloved Kwahu, thereby contributing and impacting on the development of the area. As “no one can rise above his or her people”, the development and progress of our Traditional area is a collective pride and the failure our collective shame .

Unveiling the 2020 vision, the President of Kwahuman Europe, Dr Abena Keller- Agyepong said that the vision of all Kwahu citizens in the Diaspora is to see to that the standard of living of our people is raised to an acceptable level.

Health and Education, the bedrock for the development of any community, seems to have been abandoned in the Kwahu Traditional area. Kwahuman Associations in the Diaspora cannot be exempted from their moral and civic duties. She called on all Kwahus to look back and help those who stayed behind and kept the fire warm at the hearth even under impossible conditions.

The time is NOW to implement our long talked about overdue projects by the various Kwahuman Associations. The leaders of the Intercontinental Unions, namely, Okwahu United and Kwahuman Europe will tackle the challenges head on as demonstrated by the Pepease Library Project undertaken by Kwahuman USA& Canada, the Aduamoa ICT Project undertaken by Kwahuman Belgium and the shipment of computers, printers and a full body scanning x-ray machine shipped by Kwahuman Switzerland to be donated to various recipients before the end of December 2011.

The short term identified project for 2012-2015 will be the renovation of all Primary Schools in the Traditional area, in need of renovation, rebuilding or a facelift. This is with the intended purpose of raising standards, making our Primary Schools and eventually all the schools in the Traditional area a place fit for our Children to learn, grow and become productive members of their community.

The Home -coming Event planned for 2013, will see the completion of some of the renovated schools started in 2012. This will be concrete proof of a new spirit of engagement growing among Kwahu citizen in the Diaspora who are not Just” Talking the Talk but able to Walking the Walk”

The Conference, the last of such a gathering represented by 5 Delegates from each Member Association in its format saw the beginning of a lot of changes designed to streamline the operation of the union and make it cost effective in its operation. Kwahuman Europe Union has now been registered in Holland as a Foundation guided by the rules and regulations of the Netherlands and the European community. The Foundation’s operations will not depart from its constitutional mandate of transparency and accountability. The door is opened to all members, donors, and those interested in the activities of the Foundation

Dr. Keller- Agyepong called on the KDA, Chiefs and People of the Traditional to realise the beauty and natural resources, including nature’s gift of mountains, clean air and greenery area which must be protected. The much publicized Kwahu Easter Celebration is but a tip of the iceberg of possibilities waiting discovery for tourism. She cautions that this potential must not be left blindly in the hands of Money makers who will use it to the advantage of a few .She emphasize that conscious efforts must be made with the participation of the local communities to develop sound projects aimed at show casing the area ,but preserving the interest of the local Communities

The conference which began at 10am ended at 7pm with an End- of- Year Celebration attended by all the delegates, members and friends of Kwahuman Netherlands.

Dr Keller used the opportunity to thank Mr Stephen Sefa, Chairman of Kwahuman Netherlands, his Executives and members of the association, for the superb job of hosting the conference. She reminded them that the Netherlands was the inauguration city, and now the seat of Kwahuman Europe Foundation, as such they will forever be looked upon as the “god Parent ” of the Foundation. Kwahuman Netherland should as such continue to act as the good shepherd of the Foundation, encouraging all the member Associations to fully support the good activities of the Foundation.

Dr. Keller declared that the second phase of the work undertaken by the Foundation two and a half year ago has begun, namely working to fulfil the promise of a partner in the development of the Kwahu traditional area

Contact the author

Owura Kwabena Asante

kwaforson@gmail.com