Robert KENNETH Kwaku Appiah Asante

Oct 1937 - Apr 2020

PREFACEby Piese Kofi Asante ODUPON ATUTU (A LAMENT)

I Odupon Atutu IV Kwaku Appiah Asante ayɛ bi. Odupon Kese Atutu Ohene, san behwɛ no mma. Appiah, Kwaku Appiah Kubi, Wona wowɔ nnufoɔ a yenom Krobea Asante Ami Wo na wo kɛtɛ so a mmofra ne mpanyin goro so Kwaku Appiah Asante San bɛhwɛ wo mma; san bɛgye wo mma. Kɔ Ne Kraa Akyi Wayɛ bi ama adasamma OKraa Akyia, Yɛrekɔa, Yɛnkra Nana Asante bɛyɛɛ adeɛ OKraa Akyia, Yɛko a Yɛmma Na wanseɛ adeɛ. Papa, wode yɛn gyaa hwan? Obɛpam aman ne ɔman Odupɔn atutu. Na wantete mu

II Bueei, Bobueee V Mommɔ n’abodin, , Gyaaman ne South Bueei, Bueei, BobueeE Afrika nsaase so Ato yɛn bese we. Momfa ntumpan mɔ n’abodin nkuro ne nkuro mu Otirimoɔdenfoɔ Covid – 19 nti Momfa nsakuo ne mmɛn mɔ n’abodin. Atumpan ayɛ dinn Monhyirahyira no; monkamfo no; Okrabirifoɔ coronavirus nti Monhyirahyira no, momɔ n’abodin Nsankuo ne mmɛntia ayɛ komm Monhyihyira no, mon yi n’ayɛ Ewien agyina dinn Onipa bɛyɛɛ bi Omununkum asi; nisuo regu Kwaku Appiah Asante ayɛ bi. Attan-man regyam Akora, damirifa Yɛma yɛn ho yɛnho due

III Ɔkyeman ne Asante ayera nhene me bɔdɔm Ghana Roman Aheman mu banua keseɛ abu, Ogyefoɔ ne hwan? Oberempɔn aba Ofiri 1937 na otuu ne wiase kwan Wayɛ adwuma den Adi nokware akosi aseɛ; Wahwɛ abusua, mma ne man so. Ennɛ wadane n’adwuma ato hɔ Akora, damirifa

2 3 BIOGRAPHYBiography

4 “After all we came into this world but once, therefore it behooves us to have deep and compassionate love for one another; first as we wish for ourselves and to help the poor and needy in society at all times.” R. K. A. Asante

dedicated father, loving husband and a faithful servant of the Catholic Church. Robert Kenneth Kwaku Appiah AAsante was a great man who brought together many outstanding and exceptional qualities. He was very humble, extremely generous and kindhearted. He had an engaging and very pleasant disposition which endeared him to many who crossed his path. His generosity was not confined to his family alone- his outreach was very wide. He responded to the distress and despair of many in a most selfless way. He was loving and warm to the core, sacrificing personal comfort most times, for the growth of his family. He contributed immensely to the education of his younger siblings and his extended family at large as well as his nucleus family. He forged deep friendships with people of different nationalities, loved life and lived it to the fullest.

Robert made his debut into the world on the 27th of October, 1937; to the late Nana Kwasi Krah (Komesohene) of the Agona Royal family of Asante Komeso and Madam Veronica Ntiamoah (alias Ama Kwaah) of the Agona Royal family of Akyem Hweakwae (both of blessed memory). He was the second child and first son of his mother’s four children. He was a child like no other, brightly light skinned and quite the exception. He was popularly known as Kwaku Broni or Hwaekwae Broni because of his fair skin.

5 He received his primary education at the Hweakwae Roman Catholic He stayed with the Schneider Primary. As a child, Robert was very intelligent and clever in school. family who embraced him fully, He continued at Akoasi Presbyterian Middle School and successfully commencing and cementing a family completed with distinction. Due to his academic excellence, he pursued relationship that would outlast his higher education at the Ghana Technical Institute in Takoradi, but his life time. After 2 years he returned education had to be cut short due to the lack of financial support from to Ghana, with a determination to his family, after the death of his father. Notwithstanding the sudden succeed- he would make his dream termination of his education, with his characteristic positivity, hard work come true. Some people only dream and doggedness, buoyed by a strong spiritual faith in a God bigger than of worthy accomplishments whilst his trials, he put in his all into apprenticeships and helping out in farms, others stay awake to accomplish doing several odd jobs at different times, in order to increase his income them, this is one definition of effort stream. His work ethic and desire to take care of his family led to him and Robert epitomized that. crisscrossing the country in search of better opportunities.

Group Photo: Middle row, 2nd from right: R.K.A Asante

He left for Accra in 1959 having found work with Ford Motors Company. From his training with Ford in Ghana, he joined Continental Cars Limited (John Holt Bartholomew Group) as a Stock Controller until 1963 when he got a wonderful opportunity to study a foreign language. Being the lifelong learner that he was, he welcomed this prospect. In 1963, Robert left to Germany as a young man to study and learn the German language. He stayed with the Schneider family who embraced him fully, commencing and cementing a family relationship that would outlast his life time. After 2 years he returned to Ghana, with a determination to succeed- he would make his dream come true. Some people only dream of worthy accomplishments whilst others stay awake to accomplish them, this is one definition of effort and Robert epitomized that.

6 He went on to also successfully establish POGACO WEST AFRICAN LTD in 1968 as a timber merchant venture. The success of Pogaco’s timber exports to Europe and Asia confirmed its appointment as the accredited agent for Ghana Timber Marketing Board (GTMB) for Japan and Switzerland from 1974 – 1978. These were exciting times for young Robert as his dream to be a success was being realized.

In 1969, Robert married his beautiful wife, Agnes Yaa Bempomaa Puni (of blessed memory) and they were blessed with eight children. Robert was an enigma and can be aptly described as an entrepreneur extraordinaire, a fearless visionary with many instinctive motivations. He was a philanthropist, an Industrialist, a commercial farmer, a General Merchant and a renowned International Business Executive of repute with over 50 years experience in these fields. He was indeed a trailblazer in many ventures: as a general merchant, Robert successfully established a chain of commercial stores in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Akyem Oda and Nsawam from 1965 – 1978, as well as farms and pharmaceutical ventures namely KENBERT FARMS AND STORES LTD. and KENBERT PHARMACY LTD.

7 In 1970, together with Messrs. Krobo Edusei, E. I. Preko (Former Ministers of State - 1st Republic) and Offei-Nkansah (all of blessed memory), Robert established Fidesco Agricultural Machinery Ltd. As Managing Director, Fidesco was the first ever Ghanaian company to introduce the famous All- purpose “Farm Boy” Tractors into the country. These versatile tractors were revolutionary and a farmer’s dream acquisition at that time. Robert’s passion for mechanized agriculture was fueled by a desire to lift his fellow Ghanaians out of subsistence farming to more efficient and economic farming methods. His desire was for Ghanaians to grow food more and become self-sufficient as a people. Engaging in commercial farming himself between 1978 and 1983, he established a 500-acre rice farm at Karaga-Tamale, 500-acre maize and yams farm at Girantulu, livestocks farm at Luom-Osuduku, 50-acre vegetable farm at Ablekuma, 53-acre oil plantation at Abenaso and a cocoa farm. From 1980 -1983, Robert was elected Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Commercial Farmers Union (GARCFU).

8 Those who know Robert will tell you that as a man, pinnacles never satisfied him. He never rested on his laurels. He had to go on soaring endlessly. In 1984, after deciding to bring his farming ventures to an end due to the spate of wild bush fires that had razed down many farms across the country, he decided to embark on his most daring venture ever- Mining! As a miner, he single-handedly established, funded and managed his own private mining firm known as “KENBERT MINES LTD” in the Birim North District from 1984- 2006.

More importantly, Robert saw the successful culmination of Kenbert Mines Ltd to the highest exploratory level in the country attracting investment interest from international partners worldwide. Robert worked with Gencor Group of South Africa, Normandy of Australia, Canadian Mangnesite Mining of Canada, among others over the period before forming a successful partner to enter into full scale mining.

9 Having contributed a lot to the mining industry in Ghana, he was elected Chairman of the Association of the Ghanaian Mining Concessioners in 1986. Robert was a director/ shareholder of Golden Ridge Resources (Normandy – Australia) from 1997 to 2002 and remained a Director/Shareholder of Newmont Lasource of till 2006. In 2002, Kenbert Mines had become the first African Mining company to enter into joint ventureship with the world’s number one mining company- NEWMONT MINING, Denver USA. He was very instrumental in the establishment of Newmont - Akyem Mines in the of Ghana. Robert retained his interest in the mining field for more than three decades, partnering with Newmont to provide social services to the poor and needy. In 2005, he established the Kenbert Group of companies of which he was the Group Executive Chairman until his sudden demise.

For the past 15years, Robert has been the Founder and Chairman As Christian of the Catholic Faith, Robert didn’t of his family NGO, Ntiamoah Foundation and contributed miss his opportunity to impact God’s people and immensely to the Health and Education Sectors of the country. also accomplish a meaningful work. He lived Col He was also the National Trustee Member of the Ghana Blind 3:17: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do Union until his demise. As a Philanthropist, his desire was to all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to render selfless social services to the poor and needy in Akyem God the Father through Him”. All his life, he was Kotoku as well as Humanity and Mankind in general. He was actively involved in the building of the Roman very instrumental in the establishment of the computer center Catholic community in Ghana through various for learning for the Ghana Society for the Blind, now the Ghana means of support and volunteered for causes Blind Union (GBU). It serves as the Regional Center for West which The Church needed services for, both in Africa. Ntiamoah Foundation was also solely responsible for cash and in kind. the funding of the Kibi Integrated Project for training the blind in Agriculture (Poultry and Pig Farming) in Ghana. Robert invested heavily in the youth of the Birim North District. His Foundation funded scholarship opportunities for outstanding students and established a mobile library project which has contributed immensely to the improvement of reading and literacy in the District. In addition, the Foundation has also established a fully functional I.C.T Centre at New Abirem.

Robert’s Ntiamoah Foundation also made huge contributions in the health sector in 2007 to fulfill its vision of improving health needs in their catchment area: 5,528 pupils benefitted from the Foundation’s Malaria Outreach Programmes; support was provided to People Living with HIV/AIDS; Hospital apparatus was provided to the Hospital apparatus was provided to CHPS to complement the efforts of the Birim North District Health Directorate and 1,344 persons in 52 communities of the Birim North District were registered to benefit from the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS).

10 He enjoyed the company of friends in the Church community, where he was greatly respected. For 20 years, he was the Chief Patron of the St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Society of the Catholic Arch-Diocese of Accra. He was also the Patron of the Holy Spirit Cathedral/ Cherubim Choirs and Chief Patron of the Anchor of Hope Society Choir- known as the Voices of Hope, a choir he was instrumental in birthing.

He received recognition for his varied contributions to the Catholic Church both locally and internationally. Notable among them are his Papal Apostolic Blessing award from His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI-Rome, Achievement awards for Business and Charity from England and USA, Awards of Excellence from the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra and certificates of Honour from the Societies he belonged to.

Robert Kenneth Kwaku Appiah Asante was a man who lived with great confidence in an unpredictable life. He accomplished great things in his immediate surroundings and in the World at large. To all of us, he would be remembered differently, a dad, a grandfather, a brother, an uncle, a friend but most importantly a good man who was truly loved and admired by all. Closing a chapter on a great man is never easy but we find comfort in the scriptures which say in Psalm 118:22-23 (NKJV)

[22] “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.” [23] “This was the LORD’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.”

He is survived by 8 children, 16 Grandchildren, 3 Great Grandchildren and several members of his large extended family and friends.

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