Protozoa shaped my devotion to public service

Mentorship and apprenticeship is mostly done practically and awarded by evidential testimonies. Based on this, l would like to share with all my personal experience working with Mr Frank Aseidu, Director of Political affairs, Office of the President, Jubilee House.

My name is Gideon Tuffour Amponsah, a youth activist and a Ghanaian student studying Accounting and Finance at the Minot State University, USA. Born and bred in Ghana, my passion and goal is to serve my country and the world at large. My devotion to public service has led me to participate to meaningful discussions at both national and international platforms; including representing Ghana as a Delegate at the United Nations Youth Assembly, New York.

I have served with the legislative intern in the United States Senate by conducting research, assisting the legislative staff and helping process incoming information on policy-making issues.

I felt the need to get closer to governance, learn how things are done in government, to share my experiences and learn how best I can contribute to the development of my motherland, Ghana.

I contacted one of my mentors who later introduced me to Mr. Frank Aseidu Bekoe, affectionately called Protozoa. He accepted me to serve as an intern at the Political Affairs Directorate, an office overseen by the Chief of Staff.

Part of my work was to assist with the daily administrative work of the Directorate. This gave me the chance to interact and engage with a lot of Ghanaians who came to the office to seek help and express challenges they were facing. I am happy to have worked with Protozoa and his team worked hard to address some of these challenges.

Protozoa did his best to resolve all issues that came to him and if beyond him he informed the Chief of Staff. He will listen attentively and give one the needed attention. It is not surprising that his office is the office inside Ghana’s Presidency one can go any day without an appointment. Averagely some 80 people approached his office with their concerns and proposals to the government.

I will liken his job to a pastor’s counseling section where he had to sit and make sure he provided solutions to all the people who came to the office each day. I thought the internship was going to be the usual 8 am to 5 pm kind. With the numbers coming in to see Protozoa it was prudent I stayed to assist, closing 11pm always felt like I closed early that day.

According to John C. Maxwell, the best way a mentor can prepare another leader is to expose him or her to other great people. Through Protozoa, I have met most important and great personalities in the governance process. It was stressful yet educative and a rare opportunity to find yourself contributing your little quota to your nation’s development.

Protozoa will always correct me when am wrong and reward me whenever I was right. His level of humility was topnotch. I realized he had a penchant to always push young people who were around him or came to him.

He instilled a sense of nationalism and patriotism in me. He will not compromise on discipline and the need to guard one’s integrity with their whole life. He untapped more talent and ability within me. He is a good man, dedicated to his work and helping people.

I am hoping that many leaders and heads of government institutions will give more opportunities to young people like Protozoa.

God bless H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Hon. Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare for having an ordinary man with such great personality in their government.