Dr Francis Kwame Buah releases new book

Accra, July 16, GNA- Octogenarian and historian, Dr Francis Kwame Buah has added a new book, "Government in West Africa", to his collection of History books.

The 286-page book, published by Mr Kweku Ansa-Asare, a Lawyer, provides a comprehensive but concise account of the Elements and Principles of Government in general as well as the political developments in West Africa up to the year 2002.

Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs Angelina Baiden- Amissah, on behalf of the sector Minister, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo launched the book in Accra on Friday.

Mr Osafo Maafo called on the youth to emulate worthy deeds of the older generation and strive for excellence in all their endeavours. He congratulated Dr Buah, who was his former history tutor at Achimota Secondary School, and former Minister of Education under the People's National Party (1979-1981) administration for writing the book. "I would like to tell my old teacher, well done. Dr Buah has left a very inspiring height for the youth to emulate," Mr Osafo Maafo said. Mrs Baiden-Amissah, who bought a copy of the book for three million cedis, said high quality books were an essential component of quality education, and praised Dr Buah for writing such a comprehensive book with a good pictorial content.

She said the book provided an in-depth knowledge for sharpening the minds of future leaders adding, "I find the book very inspiring and wisdom personified".

Mr Kweku Ansa-Asare, Director of the Ghana School of Law, said the book, which is in two sections deals, with the concept, meaning and scope of government, citizenship, human rights and freedoms, separation of powers, the security services and political party systems, electoral system, feminism and religious fundamentalism among other topics. Mr Ansa-Asare, who is also the Managing Director of Readwide Limited, book marketing company, said the part two of the book also discusses the political history of Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Gambia and La Cote d'Ivoire from the colonial period to 2002.

It also examines the political changes that the five countries have gone thorough, the political tensions and an evaluation of military rule, and further compares political events among the countries. Dr Buah, 83, described the "Government in West", as "my beloved book", and urged the youth to let it be their "lighthouse if not the light"

Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Ms Joyce Aryee, current Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Mr Sam Poku, the former Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Dr Jean Ackah, Chairman of the Western University of Mines and Technology, were among those present at the launching.

The Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Accra, the Most Reverend Gabriel Charles Palmer Buckle, commended Dr Buah for his scholarly works, saying he would have made " quadrillions' if Dr Buah had decided to sell his knowledge.

Professor Addae-Mensah, who chaired the launching, went down memory lane, reminiscing the days when Dr Buah was History tutor at Achimota, where he was nicknamed "We Historians", "Town Historians" and " You See."

The first 10 copies of the book were auctioned for 63 million cedis. Christ the King Parish Hall reverberated with voices as the song "Land of Our Birth" was sang at the request of Dr Buah, who from humble beginnings rose to great academic heights, as former headmaster Tema Secondary School and Minister of Education Minister inter alia.