Okuapemman Association of USA and Canada (OKUSACA), proudly announces the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of its founding and observance of 2010 Annual Odwira/Ohum festival in New York. The event will be held over the Labor Day Weekend from Friday, September 3rd to Sunday, September 5th, 2010 at the plush Royal Regency Hotel in Yonkers.
Founded in 1985, Okuapemman Association of USA and Canada, with its Secretariat in New York is the umbrella organization for various clubs incorporated in USA and Canada by and for persons of Akuapem, Akwamu, Anum and Boso descent. Known by its acronym OKUSACA, it has among its main objectives:
1. Foster unity, harmony and cooperation among Akuapems home and abroad
2. Provide an effective and responsible forum for addressing issues of common interest to Akuapems (Ghanaians in general) home and abroad
3. Harness and coordinate resources into a collective pool for projects of common benefit to Akuapems (Ghanaians in general) home and abroad.
It is to these ends that OKUSACA among other things continues to play intermediary roles towards resolving simmering disputes among traditional rulers in the area, fund scholarship awards for students, sponsor youth sports development programs and raise funds to support the establishment of the Presbyterian University at Akropong Akuapem.
One of our more ambitious projects yet is the establishment of a Technology Resource & Training Center for youths.
Our most pressing desire as we celebrate our anniversary, 25 Years of Unity and Hope for the Future, is to accomplish the total resuscitation and rehabilitation of the near decrepit Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital (TQMH) at Mampong-Akuapem.
That is why we have dedicated this event towards raising funds for the TQMH project. All after cost funds raised, bar none, will go towards the Hospital! The charge towards raising $100,000 will be led by Dr. Kwame Anyane Yeboah, Dr. La-Kumi, Dr. Kofi Adu, Dr. Stephen Asiedu and several other medical practitioners of Akuapem/Asuogya descent. It might interest you to know that OKUSACA has released an initial amount of $10,000.00 to initiate the rehabilitation exercise at the TQMH which has been estimated to cost about $130,000.00
Our guest list includes Ghana’s Eastern Regional Minister Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Member of Parliament for Okere Constituency Dan Botwe, and Ghana’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Leslie Kojo Christian. Also in attendance will be some Ghanaian traditional rulers notably Akuapem Krontihene Nana Ofei Kwasi Agyemang IV , Aburihene Otoobour Nana Gyan Kwasi, Gyasehene Nana Osim Kwatia, and Adamorobehene Nana Osei Boakye Yiadom.
Ohum/Odwira commemorates the cultural and ethnic heritage of the people of Akuapem/Asuogya descent. It is a festival of thanksgiving for bountiful harvest and period of reflection and renewal for the coming year. The Theme for this year’s celebration is: 25years of Unity and Hope for the Future.
This year’s three day event in New York will see a crowd of over 600 delegates and invited guests arriving on Friday, September 3rd, and staying through the 5th. A series of meetings / workshops will be held to tackle issues pertaining to the survival and continuity of some of our great institutions in Akuapem and Asuogya.
The evening of the 4th will be highlighted by a display of African drumming and dancing reminiscent of a traditional Ghanaian durbar of chiefs and queens. This will take place at the Grand Ballroom at the Royal Regency Hotel starting at 9:00pm prompt. Activities for Sunday, September 5th will include a thanksgiving service in the morning and a grand Picnic in the afternoon. Here, delegates and guests will be entertained by the host New York chapter to an array of authentic and exotic home-made food and assorted drinks plus a bash of selected Ghanaian music to round up a weekend of fun, pleasure and fellowship.
We appeal to all citizens and friends of Akuapem and Asuogya origins as well as other well-wishers to kindly contribute their quota to our joint effort to renovate our Institutions such as Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital (TQMH) at Mampong- Akuapem, the Volta River Authority Hospital (VRA) at Akosombo, the School for the Blind at Akropong-Akuapem and the School for “the Speech/ Hearing Impaired “at Mampong-Akuapem.
To contact our National Secretariat in New York, please visit our website at www.okuapemman-usaca.org or contact the National Coordinating Secretary, at osadav01@yahoo.com
National Coordinating Secretariat
Okuapemman Association of USA & Canada.
