“Ghana Award House” will be completed – Akufo-Addo assures HoSA

President Akufo-Addo has reiterated his administration’s commitment to completing the ongoing construction of a state-of-the-art office complex (Ghana Award House) for the Head of State Award Scheme (HoSA), which is an affiliate of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award in Ghana.

The proposed office complex of the Head of State Award Scheme (HoSA), is currently under construction at South Legon, Accra. President Akufo-Addo cut the sod for its construction in April 2021. The building is at the roofing stage and it is projected to be completed by the end of 2024.

The GHc 5 million two-floor office complex of the Head of State Awards Scheme, (Ghana Award House) once completed will serve as the administrative block of HoSA, the Duke of Edinburgh International Award affiliate, which will help drive growth, and impact the efficiency and effective delivery of the award scheme to all young people in Ghana and beyond.

Speaking at the awards ceremony for the 2023 batch of awardees of the Head of State Award Scheme at a makeshift auditorium at the Jubilee House, on Friday, 15 December 2023, President Akufo-Addo said the “Award House” which is under construction, if completed, will be the first of its kind in the world and that is certainly why it’s completion should be prioritized.

“It (the office complex for the Head of State Award Scheme) will be the first in the world so we have every reason to make sure that it is completed and that is, the building that is going to house the secretariat.

“The awards scheme does not have any secretariat anywhere in the world. When we finish this one in Ghana, it will be the first of its kind in the world. So, you have my personal commitment, I am going to help finish this building,” President Akufo-Addo said.

The awardees

In his remarks, Mr Peter Akai Anum, the Executive Director of the Head of State Award Scheme (HoSA) said 281 young men and women received Gold Awards for demonstrating excellence in leadership and serving their communities. One hundred and sixty-seven (167) of the awardees he said are girls, representing 59.4%, while one hundred and fourteen (114) are boys, representing 40.6%.

The 281 Gold Award recipients were drawn from 35 different schools in the country and 9 out of the 16 regions in the country. The schools are Takoradi SHS, Peculiar International School, Aburi Girls SHS, Hark Mount Sinai SHS, Ghanata SHS, Virtual Award Centre, Presbyterian Boys SHS, Legon, Beposo SHS, Lakeside Fijai SHS, Archbishop Porter Girls SHS, St Paul Technical School, St. Peters SHS, Sekondi College, and Tema Methodist Day SHS.

The others are Government Secretarial School, Ho, Ofori Panyin SHS, O’Reilly SHS, Oyoko Methodist SHS, Nkawie SHS, Ahantaman Girls SHS, Aggrey Memorial SHS, Ola SHS, 2nd Aburi Boys and Girls Brigade, 47th Accra Company of the Boys and Girls Brigade, Koforidua Senior High Technical School, KNUST, St Thomas Aquinas SHS, Konongo SHS, Genius It Foundation, Ho, Accra Wesley Girls SHS, Global Evangelical Church, Presbyterian SHS, La, St Johns Grammar, Tema International School, Ho Technical University and Presbyterian SHS, Tema.

Head of State Award Scheme

The Head of State Award Scheme is an affiliate of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in Ghana. The Award Scheme provides a non-formal education and learning framework that recognizes and celebrates the achievements of young people outside the walls of the classroom.

It encourages young people aged 14-24 years to step out of their comfort zones, explore their environment, take on new challenges, stay physically and mentally fit, and embrace the spirit of adventure. It pushes them to take charge of their personal development and life in general.

It allows them to view life not just from a narrow perspective but from different perspectives thereby broadening their view of life and their ability to positively impact society.

The Scheme uses an “Award Framework” along with support from adult volunteers to guide young people to discover and develop themselves. There are three levels to the Award; Bronze (14 years +, 6 months minimum), Silver (15 years +, 12 months minimum), and Gold (16 years +, 18 months minimum).

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award was founded by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh KG, KT in 1956, in conjunction with Kurt Hahn, the German educationalist to support young people on their journey of self-development, regardless of their background, culture, physical ability, skills or interest.

Concerned that young people’s development was being held back, together they created a programme that would support young people on the journey of self-development as they find their purpose, passion, and place in the world.

The Award Programme was introduced in Ghana in November 1967 as The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. During the same period, permission was granted by the Ghana Education Service for its introduction in various secondary schools as extra-curricular activities for the development of young people.

As a non-political, non-governmental charity established for the development of young people into responsible citizens in the areas of skills development, community service, physical recreation, team adventure, and social projects, the Award has touched the lives of thousands of young people since its inception in 1967.

Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra

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