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Nana Barimah Kofi Bio II driving innovation in Kobriso Akyem Abuakwa
Nana Barimah Kofi Bio II, is a visionary leader, a true developmental king whose relentless drive for innovation and sustainable growth, has reshaped the community of Kobriso Akyem Abuakwa in the Eastern Region.
For the past nine years, Nana Barimah Kofi Bio II has defined leadership with impact by taking upon himself to support the community and its environs under the Kyebi Kingdom in the Eastern Region.
This vision and passion to help the community to make life comfortable for the needy and underprivileged led to the establishment of the Kofi Bio Foundation.
The Kofi Bio Foundation, is a non-governmental organisation that was established in 2023 to support the less privileged and promote developmental works in Akyem Kobriso.
Nana Kofi Bio II rose to the throne as the Paramount Chief of Kobriso in Akyem Abuakwa after an installation ceremony supervised by the Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, on October 3, 2016.
He took over from the late Nana Kwaku Bio I.
Known in private life as Mr Isaac Bempong, Nana Kweku Bio II is inspired by the thought of serving his community and fostering growth and development in Akyem Kobriso.
“I believe in kindness and being compassionate. I dedicate my life to making a positive impact in the community and its environs,” he told The Spectator in Accra on Monday.
Nana stated that the development is not just about economic growth but empowering people, bridging gaps and building resilient systems for the future.
Nana Bio II did not however have it all rosy growing up. He endured very difficult and harsh conditions and his parents, who had the going tough made him drop out of school at the Junior High School (JSS) stage at the LA government school in Akyem.
He later moved to Nigeria in 2002 to do business, but that did not go out well. This made him return to Accra in 2003 to sell polythene bags and he became a driver’s mate for about three years.
“I decided to come back home because it seems everything just didn’t go well with me. After that, I joined the older folks in my hometown to do farming and petty trading.”
However, my coming back home proved to be the masterstroke as I was nominated by the family to be king for the area.
Nana Bio II now describes himself as a farmer and a businessman who is doing so well and wants to give back to the society because he didn’t get that opportunity.
“My motive is to help people and communities since we can’t leave it all on the government. I have initiated some of the projects at Akwatia, Kade, Asamankese and Osenase” he told this Reporter.
Nana is personally paying for the school fees of a lot of people through the Kofi Bio Educational Trust Fund which has awarded scholarships to 10 brilliant but needy students in the community.
Currently, he is constructing an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre to empower the youth interested in ICT programmes.
In addition to that, Nana is currently building a three classroom block for the community to complement the few schools in the area.
Stretching his philanthropic work to other sectors, the Nana Kofi BIO Foundation donated furniture and other logistics to the Commander-in-Chief of the Akwatia Police Station.
Also to his credit is a market place constructed at Kobriso to help women trade with ease.
At the Osenase Health Centre in the Eastern Region for instance, the foundation paid hospital bills for patients and also constructed washrooms for staff of the health centre.
For tourism, the Pram Water Falls in Kobriso will serve as a tourist site to create a source of income to the community and also train the youth to become guides to support the project.
For his future aspirations, Nana Kofi Bio promises to redevelop roads in Kobriso so that people can travel easily, adding that Kobriso will be a landmark area of world tourism, because of its rich culture and tourist sites.
Born in Kade to Mr Emmanuel Amoah and Hannah Atiriwaa, Nana Bio II is the fifth among six siblings. After a hard day’s work, Barimah Kofi Bio II prefers to take a walk and tell stories to children.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie