Accra, February 8, 2018//-The John A. Kufuor (JAK) Foundation has launched a campaign to raise GH¢80 million ($15 million) as an endowment fund to sustain the founder former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s visions and aspirations.
It has always been his vision to establish peaceful, well governed and economically sustainable society in Ghana and Africa through the campaign, this he believes, would be achievable through the promotion of effective leadership for good governance and socioeconomic development.
The former Ghanaian President in his remarks at the launch dubbed ’80-for-80′ at his Accra residence, said governance is important to ensuring inclusiveness but good leadership can help to achieve that.
According to him, the absence of effective leadership had resulted in ignorance, diseases and poverty in Africa, thus, “Leadership doesn’t happen by chance but through nurturing,” he said.
Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee, the Founder of Salt and Light Ministries, also noted that, good leadership becomes very key for the country and the African continent as a whole.
She indicated that, traditionally, Ghana has the governance system, which believes in consensus, indicating that democracy isn’t an alien to Ghana.
“And the launch of this entrepreneurial skills will address governance as well as support the growth of the people, especially the youth,” she stressed.
Mr. Baffour Agyeman-Duah, who is the Chief Executive Officer of he JAK Foundation, on his part said, the Capital Campaign, which aims at raising GHC80 million, approximately $15 million, would put five million dollars into the construction of the Kufuor Centre for Leadership and Governance on the Campus of the University of Ghana, Legon.
“10 million dollars would be invested under an Endowment Fund with returns on the investment going to be used to run the programmes of the Foundation.
Other considered areas of the Foundation includes the Kufuor Scholars Programme, a transformational leadership training and mentoring of tertiary students, Kufuor Young Entrepreneurs Network; Kufuor Annual Awards and Kufuor Elections Observers Groups,” he revealed.
There has been a well planned programme with a lot of activities which would include fundraising dinner and gala night to be coordinated by Claudia Lumor, Celebrity walk to be coordinated by Bola Ray, concert also to be coordinated by Okyeame Kwame, a soccer games to handled by Stephen Appiah and Kwesi Appiah and a non-denominational thanksgiving service as well.
The JAK Foundation started its full operations in Ghana in year 2011 with 11 countries as implementing partners
like Nigeria, Tanzania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Togo, Mali, South Sudan, Niger and Uganda.
Also known as national movement, the project, has Mrs. Georgina Theodora Wood, the immediate past Chief Justice and the immediate past Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Edward Doe Adjaho, as patrons for the foundation.
The year-long parked programme is meant to celebrate former President Kufuor’s 80th Birthday.
By Sammy Adjei, African Eye Report