German government honours Ghanaian
Dr. Humphry Odam Kofi Ata
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 April 2003 - The Government of the
Federal Republic of Germany has conferred a special honour known as the "
Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany", on the
Chief Executive of Atlantic Group of Companies, Dr Humphry Odam Kofi Ata, for
his instrumental role he played over the years in promoting good bilateral
relations between Ghana and Germany.
Dr Ata began promoting bilateral relations between the two countries
during his student days in Germany in 1954 to 1964 and thereafter at the Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) where he lectured.
He further left the country to Germany to establish the
first Ghana Investment Centre in Frankfurt and came back to Ghana as General
Manager of the Ghana Steel Works and later on went into private business.
He then established the Atlantic Group of Companies which deal
in computer and electronic equipment, computer training, climate control and
electrical and power installations.
The special order was conferred on him during a classical musical
performance by the Tubingen Chamber Orchestra from Germany at the residence of
the German Ambassador, His Excellency, Mr Harald Loeschner in Accra on April
10.
In a citation, Mr Loeschner praised Dr. Ata for the role he continues
to play in promoting joint Ghana-German businesses of which he is the president
of the Ghana-German Economic Association which is a benchmark for bilateral
relations between the two countries.
Dr Ata is also the chairman of Almagamated Bank, Ghana Water
Company Limited, North Volta Rural Bank at Guaman in the Jasikan District, a
council member of the Association of Ghana Industries and a member of the board
of directors of the National Petroleum Tender Board.
In an acknowledgement, Dr Ata expressed heartfelt thanks to the German Government for the honour and also thanked the German Embassy in Ghana for promoting the award.
He also expressed thanks to the President, Mr J. A Kufuor
and the Ghana Government for supporting the award. Those present on behalf of
the government of Ghana were the Minister of Defence, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor and
the Minister of Interior, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman. Also present were, chairman
of the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC), Mr Kwame Pianim, Mr
Samuel Osei-Nyame, a renowned legal practitioner and Professor F. O Kwami,
Chairman of the Ho Polytechnic Council and a former Vice-Chancellor of KNUST. –
Daily Graphic
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