Kofi "ROPAA" Is NPP-USA/Canada Chairman

At the just ended NPP-USA/CANADA Congress in Alexandria Virginia on Saturday September 23, 2006, Kofi A. Boateng a.k.a. "KOFI ROPAA", emerged victorious in a highly contested election for the chairmanship with a commanding 64% of the delegates' votes.

Mr. Kwaku Agyei-Yeboah of Connecticut was Mr. Boateng's opponent who was backed by some giants within the NPP here in Washington and in Ghana. Against all odds Kofi Boateng and his Campaign team of Nana Amo Adjepong, Kwabena Manu (Honorable Pancho), Ben Afrifa, Seth Boateng, Amo Krah,Edna Arthur, George Klas-Peters and Edward Ntim Addae stormed the nation's capital on Friday and turned things around to seal Kofi Boateng's victory by Saturday evening.

Kwabena Manu was all over the place using his public relation skills cutting deals and convincing the voters that Kofi Boateng was the best candidate to get the job done.

Kofi put the icing on the cake when he ignored the podium and stood on a chair towering over everyone in the conference hall. He threw his prepared speech away and gave a powerful presentation as to why he was the candidate who must not be denied the opportunity to make the NPP-USA/CANADA the strong party that it ought to be.

The new NPP North America Chairman is the same Kofi A. Boateng who championed and led successful delegations to Ghana to press for the passage of the Representation of the People's Amendment Act, that became law on February 26, 2006 and allows Ghanaians living abroad to register to vote. Dubbed Kofi "ROPAA" by a leading politician in Ghana, Mr. Boateng promises to continue the pressure on the Electoral Commissioner to make this law implemented for the coming 2008 national elections in Ghana.

In the professional arena, Kofi A. Boateng was one of the first black executives of the Prudential Insurance Company. He was named Director of Accounting before he was 32 years old. He was the first person to earn a Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant in that multi billion dollar company. Previously he had worked with what is now KPMG- International Accounting Firm, as an auditor. As Executive Director of the National Puerto Rican Forum, Kofi turned a bankrupt institution with only three employees to a flourishing one with 110 employees and $35 million in program funding within five years. This led the Africa-America Institute based in New York, to hire Kofi as its Chief Operating Officer to help with that venerable organization's transition.

AAI has funded the education of tens of thousands of Africans including Ghana's Minister of Railways, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi and the former Chairman of Ghana's NDC, Mr. Obed Asamoah to name a very few. The Annual Dinners that AAI organizes are historic. An African President receives an award on behalf of his country. In 2004, the recipient was President Kagame of Rwanda and on September 19, 2006 President Mbeki of South Africa was honored. In 2001, Vice President Aliu Mahama accepted the award on behalf of the People of Ghana for a successful transition to democracy.

Well before ROPAA, Kofi A. Boateng was giving countless time, talent and tithe to the cause of Ghana. Starting as a foot-soldier in the 1996 elections he served as the General Secretary of NPP- New York from 1997. In 2001, he led, funded and moderated the triumphant Town Hall meeting in New York when then newly elected President Kufuor made his first official visit to the US. Listening to cheers from nearly 2,000 people, the President was effusive:"This is the largest and most hearty welcome by Ghanaians abroad I have ever had"

Kofi A. Boateng is a frequent writer on Ghanaweb and in Ghanaian newspapers. He attended Asanteman Secondary School, Technology Secondary School, Mfantsipim, Yale University and Northeastern University.

Mr. Boateng does not take the leadership of NPP North America lightly. Strongly believing that power goes to the organized and resourced, he will work to build an effective membership and funding base to deliver the voting franchise to Ghanaians abroad beginning in 2008 and make NPP North America a voice and force in Ghana's political and economic affairs starting with a resounding victory for the NPP in the 2008 elections. Why stop a good thing? He asks.

Other members of the new NPP North America Executive are: Kwaku Agyei-Yeboah- 1St Vice Chair; Nana Adu-Gyamfi – 2nd Vice Chair; John Nyarku- General Secretary; Michael Sefa- Assistant General Secretary; Abena Dapaah- Treasurer; Prince Osei Bonsu- Publicity Officer; Isaac Fosu- Asst. PRO; Kofi Bawuah- National Organizer; Amy Frimpong- Women's Organizer and Kwame Owusu-Ameyaw- Youth Organizer.

Stay tuned for more on the successful and exciting congress.