Vice-President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, has declared the government’s support for the Kristo Asafo Mission towards making its automobile company achieve its objective of becoming an African company of choice.
Addressing a large gathering at the 35th annual technology exhibition of the mission at Awoshie in Accra on Sunday, the Vice-President said countries developed by doing things better, using their natural resources, and added that innovation and technology were a prerequisite to national development.
2015 technology exhibition
This year’s exhibition was on the theme: “Promoting religion, science and technology for socio-economic transformation” and had on display remote-controlled Kantanka 4×4 cross country vehicles, a Kantanka saloon car which is started by the wave of a handkerchief, a six-cylinder car engine with a radiator, a robotic welding machine, a military warfare apparel and other electronic and technological products.
Mr Amissah-Arthur expressed delight at the display of the locally manufactured vehicles and further promised Apostle Safo of the government’s support to propel his exploits to a higher level.
He asked Ghanaians to support their own, stressing that it was time to take “our destinies into our own hands”.
Appeal for support
After many appeals to successive governments to go to its aid, the Kristo Asafo automobile company may be receiving government support following the declaration by the Vice-President,
Instituted 35 years ago, the annual technology exhibition is used to showcase the inventions of Apostle Dr Kwadwo Safo Kantanka, the Founder of the Kristo Asafo Mission.
Among dignitaries at the exhibition were the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebo Barton-Odro; the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and some Members of Parliament.
Apostle Safo
Earlier, while welcoming guests to the exhibition, Apostle Safo said the poverty bedevilling Africa was the direct result of technological challenges, for which reason he had committed himself, in the last 35 years, to the area of scientific and technological research.
In that regard, he said, he was experimenting with and producing technological products to help solve some of the continent’s developmental challenges, adding that he also wanted to demonstrate that innovation, creativity, invention and breakthrough were not the preserve of the White race.
“The Black man can also excel in this area of science and technology and in most cases even do much better,” Apostle Safo said.
He mentioned the inauguration of the Kantanka Automobile Assembling Plant which unveiled three brands of Kantanka vehicles onto the market.
He named them as the Kantanka Onantefuo 4×4 SUV, the Kantanka Omama pick-ups and the Kantanka K71 Mini SUV.
Apostle Safo sounded a word of caution to the government that its call on the citizenry to consume indigenous goods would amount to nothing if no action was taken at the governmental level to push that campaign.
“It is on this score that I call on the government to lead in the purchase of the Kantanka vehicles for government ministries, departments and agencies to support the local initiative,” he urged.
He said the doors of the Kantanka Centre of Excellence at Gomoa Mpota were opened for partnership with the government to make it a centre of excellence in Ghana in particular and Africa as a whole for technical education.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology at Tarkwa, Prof. Jerry Kumah, who chaired the function, lauded Apostle Safo for his ingenuity and called on the government to support the Kantanka brand.