Nana Osei Darkwah III
Season 3 of the MTN ‘Heroes of Change’ project, a serialised television programme which searches for and rewards persons engaged in extraordinary charity activities in Ghana, will this week focus on philanthropist extraordinaire Nana Dr Osei Darkwa III, chief of Patriensa in the Ashanti Region.
Nana Osei Darkwa, a professor and president of Ghana Technology University College (GTUC), in competing with nine other nominees for the ‘Heroes of Change’ project and the ultimate winner will receive as a cash amount of GH¢100,000 to use for a charity project.
There is also an amount of GH¢20,000 for each winner of three other categories within the ‘Heroes of Change’ project and an amount of GH¢5,000 for all six finalists.
This weekend, the heart touching story of Nana Osei Darkwa will be serialised on several television stations, including GTV on Saturday evening by 5:30 pm, TV3 on Sunday by 6:30 pm, GhOne also on Sunday by 7:00pm and on Joy Prime on Sunday by 5:00pm.
It tells an amazing story of a man who has used his personal funding to bring development in the areas of education, agriculture, health, employment and technology to the people of Patriensa in a way so significant that international news channel BBC, once did a story and called it Patriensa: ‘first digital village in Africa’.
Nana Osei Darkwah explained his reason for investing his time resources and energy in such huge charity projects, saying, “I am from here and I have known the needs of this village from my childhood. I already had plans of developing this village to a city standard, thus, all that I lacked growing up will be available for the young ones growing up.
After I ascended the throne in the year 2014, I called all leaders of this village and showed them the plans I had and where I want to see Patriensa in five years time.”
Nana explained further…“These projects have created direct employment for over 147 people of this village and several more indirectly. Patriensa was the first village to have had internet access available to everyone in the year 2000 and I have revived the farming in the village by providing transportation, accessible roads, rest stops and education on modern ways of farming. Cocoa production is now on the high. Seven students have benefited from my education fund so far and the water fountain in the center of the village has given Patriensa a great look.”
He said there are plans to build a modern market for the community and land for the project has been cleared and development is about to start.
Also, the sites for the building of a modern cemetery and a bank have also been made available.
The 10 final nominees were shortlisted from some 2,396 nominations submitted across the country.
Contestants must have a proven record in the areas of a working on charity bases as a community crusader or in the areas of social protection, health, environment economic empowerment and education which forms the six categories.