BIRDD holds lecture to commemorate Progress party

The Busia Institute for Rural and Democratic Development (BIRDD) will hold a public lecture on Friday in Sunyani, capital of Bono Region, to mark 52 years when the Progress Party (PP) assumed the reins of governance with Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia as the Executive Prime Minister in 1969.

Former President J A Kufuor is expected to deliver the keynote address, featuring Okokyeredom Sakyi Ako II, Vice President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, as the special guest of honour at the Busia Memorial Lectures.

The theme for this year’s event is ‘The youth in a free enterprise society’.

“The prime goal for the theme is to assist in empowering the youth to explore their capabilities and government policies, programmes and social interventions to activate their entrepreneurial competences,” a press release issued and signed by Anane Agyei, Executive Director of BIRRD, copied Ghanaian Times said.

Also in attendance will be Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information; Mustapha Yussif, Minister of Youth and Sports; John Kumah, Deputy Minister of Finance; Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development and Nana Kusi Appea Busia, Jr, Assistant Professor of Public International Law & Research Fellow at the School of Advanced Studies, University of London-UK.

The Busia administration held office from 1969 to 1972 and was overthrown in a coup d’état by Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, who later became a General.

Dr Busia remained in exile until he died in London on August 28, 1978, at the age of 65 and his administration is remembered amongst other issues for its commitment to rural development, which resulted in the massive development of the rural areas in terms of roads, pipe-borne water, health facilities and schools.

According to the statement, the 2021 Busia Memorial Lecture is devoted to the youth whom Dr Busia considered as the most valuable of all Africa’s resources.

FROM TIMES REPORTER, SUNYANI