The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MoFARI) has celebrated one of the pioneering staff of the Ministry on his 100th birthday.
Richard A. Akwei, together with nine others, were the group of 10 pioneer Ghanaian Foreign Service Officers.
He is the sole survivor.
He marked his centenary birthday on November 27, and to honour him for the meritorious and dedicated service to Ghana’s Foreign Service, the MoFARI sent a delegation led by the Chief Director of the Ministry, Ramses Cleland, to present to him a bouquet of flowers.
The other members of the delegation were the Director, Administration, Sidney Ellis, and the Director, Information and Public Affairs, Tenewa Asamoah, as well as other staff of the ministry.
Positive image
A citation accompanying the bouquet of flowers read by Mr Cleland on behalf of the sector minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said Mr Akwei’s contributions to Ghana’s foreign policy during his time in active service was evident in the positive image the country now enjoyed on the international stage.
It said as the sole survivor of the group of 10 pioneer Ghanaian foreign service officers, his years of distinguished service to Ghana’s foreign policy continued to be a lamp onto the feet of many officers who sought to make an impact in their chosen career as foreign service officers.
“On the occasion of your centenary birthday, we join your family and friends in wishing you a wonderful celebration.
This enviable milestone underscores the grace of God upon your life and the many years of distinguished service to our dear country,” it read.
Mr Cleland thanked God for the life of Mr Akwei for what he had accomplished and also for the fact that he did not just pass through the ministry but rather, left a legacy which they were proud of.
Service to Ghana
Mr Akwei, who was surprised by the visit, thanked Ms Botchwey for sending a delegation from the ministry to convey the birthday wishes to him.
Recalling his time in the foreign service, he said his generation was taught to give of their best to Ghana which he described as a beautiful country.
“I hope this generation will do their best for the country,” adding that he was proud of the work that was being done at the Ministry.
About Mr Akwei
In the Monday, December 11 publication of the Daily Graphic, columnist Anis Haffar said after Ghana’s independence on March 6, 1957, Mr Akwei was appointed counsellor and head of chancery for Ghana’s Embassy in Washington D.C., playing a leading role in the liberation movement of Africa.
From 1961, Mr Akwei was engaged in the projection of Ghana’s foreign policy globally under the country’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Among others, in 1962, Mr Akwei was with the Ghana delegation to the Colombo Conference initiated by President Nkrumah to find a peaceful settlement of the Sino-Indian Border dispute.