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22.12.2007 Politics

Profile: Kwabena Agyei Agyapong

22.12.2007 LISTEN
By Our Reporter - newtimesonline.com

KWABENA Agyei Agyepong was born on Independence Day, March 6, 1962, in Kumasi, Ghana, to the Late Justice Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong and Mrs Margaret Agyepong.

He had his primary education at Royal International School in Kumasi. He continued his education at Mfanstipim High School in Cape Coast where he completed his O’Level’s with distinction.

He pursued his A’Level at the same school during which he was made the Library Prefect. He then continued to the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi where he graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering in 1986.

Agyepong worked with the Ghana Highways Authority for six years as a materials and quality control engineer during which he worked on various projects of increasing responsibility including engineering evaluation of major roads in the Volta Region under the Varadep project and Benrelman Beam Deflection studies of pavements including the Kumasi-Kintampo road corridor.

He also undertook sub-surface explorations and site investigations and tachometric surveys for the geometric redesign of the Yamoransa- Anwiankwanta trunk road rehabilitation project. As resident engineer, he supervised emergency repair works including reconstruction and asphaltic concrete overlay of distressed portions of the runway at Kotoka International Airport and Kumasi Airport.

In August 1990, Kwabena Agyepong was admitted as a member of the Ghana Institution of Engineers.

In 1992, Agyepong moved on to set up a private engineering consulting firm, Constro Consult Limited, with a colleague. The company has particular expertise in carrying out sub-surface, soil, rock and groundwater exploration, field and laboratory testing of samples recovered. Undertaking engineering analysis of all field and laboratory data in order to develop geotechnical parameters, comments and recommendations for use in the foundation design ands construction of proposed project.

Constro Consult has worked on several engineering projects including geotechnical investigations for the construction of a new Ball Mill for Ghana Cement Works (GHACEM), the design and supervision of the construction of the sprawling 150-unit housing complex with all related external infrastructure at Obuasi for the then Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited.

Kwabena Agyei Agyepong has considerable experience in project management, client liaison from concept planning, design, contractor procurement and construction supervision to handover of projects, practical and theoretical experience in designing external infrastructure for housing complexes, estates and private properties.

In the lead up to the return of constitutional rule in Ghana in 1992, Kwabena Agyepong became a key member of the Young Executive Forum – a pressure group of young liberals within the New Patriotic Party. He played a notable role in the Adu Boahene Presidential Campaign as a co-opted member of the publicity committee where he participated in the party political broadcast and adverts on GTV in the run-up to the 1992 campaign for Prof. Adu-Boahene.

After the infamous stolen verdict of 1992, Kwabena Agyei Agyepoong was made member of the shadow cabinet committee of Mines, Lands and Natural Resources under the chairmanship of Dr Kwame Donkor Fordjour.

In 1996, as member of the national campaign team under the chairmanship of Alhaji Issaka Inusah, Kwabena Agyepong was charged with the responsibility of educating party officers on the general electoral process, he undertook several training programmes nationwide.

He coordinated the advertising and publicity campaigns in both print and electronic media. He then went on to serve as one of the two party representatives at the strong room of the Electoral Commission to monitor and ratify election results before official announcement.

Agyepong became the Communications Director of the Akufo-Addo campaign during NPP presidential primaries in 1998 and later played a key role in the National Campaign effort for the successful 2000 elections, and was once again nominated as one of the two party’s representatives at the EC to monitor election results. A role he played again 2004.

He served as Press Secretary to the President from 2001 until May 2006 when he resigned from his position.

As Press Secretary, he was responsible among other things for:

* Coordinating the day-to-day coverage of the President’s activities both in the local and international media. Fielding questions from the media on major policy issues, explaining the rationale behind decisions and initiatives taken by the President.* He participant in the G8 Summit, Sea Island Savannah Georgia, USA hosted by President George Bush in July 2004.* G8 Summit, Gleneagles, Scotland UK hosted by Prime Minister, Tony Blair in 2005.

* Commonwealth Heads of State and Governments meeting (CHOGM) Summits, Abuja, Nigeria 2003 and Malta 2005.* Extraordinary and Ordinary sessions of the AU assembly, 2006,2005,2003, 2002, 2001.* Extraordinary and ordinary sessions of Heads of State of ECOWAS 2001-2006* 50TH anniversary of Asian African Submit and birth of the Non Aligned Movement, April 2005 Bundung Jakarta-Indonesia.

Kwabena Agyepong is an ardent sports enthusiast. He anchored the primetime sports programme, sports highlights, on National Television for close to a decade during which he attended the 1988 Olympic Games Seoul, South Korea, 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona Spain, 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, USA. The 1989 World Under 17 Soccer Tournament in Scotland, Senegal 1992 African Cup of Nations, and Tunisia 1994 African Cup of Nations, as a correspondent for various media networks in Ghana.

He also hosted the 1990 World Cup Tournament shown live for the first time on Ghana Television and hosted the Tournament once again in 1998 on GTV.

Kwabena Agyepong is married to Lawrencia and the couple have three lovely children namely: Kofi, Kwame and Maame Yaa.

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