The first African Local Summit with the theme" Empowering Africa to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) by 2015” (the UN Challenge to End Poverty by 2015) was successfully hosted at the Engineering Auditorium; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology; Kumasi – Ashanti Region; Ghana.
With program partners and speakers ranging from village artisan cooperatives to the UNDP Country Director (Ghana), not only did it source solutions and unite cross-cutting issues from across the continent
and beyond, but participants in the first African Local Summit made their voices heard.
The general objective of the summit was to achieve sustainable and equitable development in Africa by attaining the Millennium Development Goals in Africa through the application of best practices (globally recognized professional standards) and innovative tools, and also promotes enough participation of Africans in the Global events through the establishment of a sustainable and vibrant development oriented network.
Creating communities which are able to optimize their indigenous resources in sustainable ways to build economic stability, and thus thrive socially, politically, and culturally was the specific objective of the summit. The key activities for the summit were keynote presentations, panel discussions, workshops, technology expo, innovative solutions, launching of the “Impact Investment Fund” and the Millennium Development Goals Ambassadors
Award.
Thought provoking Keynote Addresses were delivered by prominent personalities including Mr Kamil Kayode Kamaludeen, UNDP country director of Ghana; Honourable Kojo Yankah, Founder & President of
African University College of Communications (Ghana); Professor Peter Donkor, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (Ghana), Ms Theo Sowa, Executive Director of African Women Development Fund (Ghana); and Chief Ambassador Justin I Agudosi, President of the Millennium
Development Council (Nigeria).
Others were Christ Hart, Chief Strategist at Investment Solutions(South Africa); Mr Byron Nana Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, CSR Foundation (Ghana);Mrs Marilyn Owusu, Executive Director, Ace Consult (Ghana); Mr Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, Executive Director, Kumasi Centre for Lifelong Learning (Ghana), Dr Raphael Ogar Oko; Executive Director, Global Educators for All Initiative (Nigeria); Dr F. Asiedu-Bekoe, Deputy Ashanti Regional Director, Ghana Health Services (Ghana); and Oliver Withers, Executive Director, Sarpam (South Africa).
Furthermore, cross-cutting global issues such as Education, Economic Growth and the Private Sector, Climate and Environment, Water and Sanitation, Health, Food and Nutrition, etc. affecting the continent were notable among the presentations and workshops delivered by diverse group of people such as Dr Jibo Nura of African Climate Research Centre (Nigeria); Mr Femi Oye, Executive Director of Carbon Credit Network (Nigeria); Mrs Sakeena K.
Bonsu, National Coordinator, Evergreen Club of Ghana (Ghana); Charmaine Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Infundo Consulting (PTY) Limited (South Africa).Others included Wm. Tim Bailey, Professor Peter Dwumah, Nana Owusu Akyan Agyekumhene II, Rev. Justice Kofi Agyemang Ofusuhene, all from the Patriensa Pure Enterprise (Ghana); and Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko, International Coordinator of Global Educators for All Initiative and Initiator of the Millennium Development Ambassadors Program (Nigeria).
Adam Klaybor and Quentin Franks; Social Workers from the University of Texas Austin, specialized in Mentoring and Educational Reform and currently on internship at Hope Children’s Home in Accra (Ghana); Michael Kissi Boateng; Planning Assistant, ICT & Development, National Development Planning Commission (Ghana); and Mrs. Joyce Mensah; Person living with HIV and HIV Advocate (Ghana) completed the list of presenters.
The highlight of the summit was the induction of Millennium Development Ambassadors (MDA) by Ambassador Chief Justin I Agudosi, President of the Millennium Development Council, (Nigeria).
Personalities inducted at the summit as Millennium Development Ambassadors were Kofi Kankam, Chairperson of African Local Summit, Co-Chair The Global Summit 2012, and Chief Executive Officer of Elizka Relief Foundation; Gifty Anti, Director of GDA Concepts (Ghana), Nana Kwabena Dwomoh Sarpong, Founder and Executive Director, Friends of Rivers & Water Bodies (Ghana); Dr. Wiafe Addai, Executive Director, Peace & Love Hospital (Ghana); and Dr. Michael Agyekum Addo, Chief Executive Officer of KAMA Group of Companies (Ghana).
Others included Architect Ifeanyi Humphrey Odedo, National President, Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship International (Nigeria); Honourable Barrister B. I. Nkememena, Executive Chairman, Ekwusigo Local Government Council of Anambra State (Nigeria) and Hajiya Aisha Abdulkadir Yau (Nigeria).
