The Africa – America Institute (AAI) has awarded the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo with the institute’s National Achievement Award for the year 2017.
The award which is also for the people of Ghana was bestowed on him yesterday September 19, 2017 in New York at the institute’s 33rd Annual Awards Gala.
The award is to recognise the President and the people of Ghana “for their continued leadership and excellence in promoting democracy, accountability and peaceful transitions of power,” a citation for the award said.
President Nana Addo receiving the award said “Ghanaians are deeply humbled by the award”.
He paid tribute to successive generations of Ghanaian patriots who played invaluable roles in establishing the free sovereign and democratic Ghana that was honored.
“What our history has taught us is that the spirit of the Ghanaian in his or her quest for peace, progress and prosperity cannot be quenched. We are a determined lot that cannot be deterred. It took us a while but the consensus of multi party constitutional democratic rule has been established in Ghana. The most recent being December 2016, we had a peaceful transfer of power from a governing party to an opposition,” he said.
Two other Ghanaians; Bozoma Saint John, the Chief Brand Officer for Uber and Nicole Amaerteifio, Creator, Director, and producer of African City were also presented with the Innovation and Technology and leadership in African Media and Arts Awards respectfully.
The Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia was also presented with the African Business Leader Award.
Founded in 1953, the Africa-America Institute is a premier U.S.-based international organization dedicated to strengthening human capacity of Africans and promoting the continent’s development through higher education and skills training, convening activities, program implementation and management.
AAI raises funds to provide scholarships to smart and under-resourced students to attend top-performing African universities and develops programs that focus on increasing the skills of the next generation of African youth so that they become globally competitive.
AAI alumni are at the forefront of Africa’s public, non-profit, and private sectors.
The Gala supports AAI’s efforts to strengthen the human capacity of Africans and to promote enlightened engagement between Africa and America through education, skills training, dialogue and special events.
The award ceremony brought together diplomats, international and senior US government officials, business and civil society leaders, educators, philanthropists, journalists and other prominent figures.
–
By: Vivian Kai Lokko/citibusinessnews.com/ New York
