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We should not look down on technical education  – Dr J.B. Danquah Esq.

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Dr. Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah

Dr. Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah

It is unfortunate for some Ghanaians to relate technical education to the weak minds.

This notion, according to legal prac­titioner and Chief Executive Officer of Joevide Company Limited in Kumasi, Dr. Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah, grand-nephew of Dr. J.B. Danquah (of blessed Memory), does not hold water.

Young Kwame Boakye Danquah
Young Kwame Boakye Danquah

“Secondary School is not the only means through which someone can go to a university,” he stressed.

The legal practitioner who held technical education in high esteem early in his life saw it (technical edu­cation) as one of the possible paths he could take, wholeheartedly to attain his dream.

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As a result, he opted for St. Paul Technical School (SPATS) at Akyem-Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region and Studied Block Laying and Concreting (BLAC).

Basic Education

Dr. Danquah ESQ attended Kyebi Presbyterian Primary as well as Kyebi L/A Experimental then to Koforidua Wisdom Preparatory and later to the Koforidua Junior High School (JHS) as the pioneer of the Experimental System.

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Dr. Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah 2
Dr. Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah 2

And after JHS, his class mates went to secondary school but he stuck to his father’s pieces of advice and went to a Technical School.

“My father told us that every child of his must be able to feed himself and live meaningful life after school.

Lawyer Dr. Danquah said that his father considered technical education more important because anybody who attended a technical school in those days could easily get employment com­pared with secondary school leavers.

“In my father’s opinion, it was easi­er for a technical school leaver to get a job than a Secondary School Form Five (5) leaver,” he said.

He further stated that true to his father’s advice, he (Dr. Danquah) did not become a wayward child when his father died in 1983 because he (Dr. Danquah) was already in a technical school and spent all the holidays at construction site working to earn an income for his upkeep.

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“I was always at the construction site carrying blocks and mortar for a living following the constructive ad­vice of my father to go to a technical school,” he emphasised.

He says that “one can attain the highest educational qualification in this world through other means rather than secondary education.

Dr. Danquah said that in the course of his sterling performance at the var­ious sites, he realised that there was a brighter chance for him to be a Super­visor or a Site Engineer one day if he could further his education to put him on a higher pedestal in this technologi­cal world.

“I have never regretted in doing a technical course. Technical education is the foundation of the developed economy in the world,” he stressed.

Further Education

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To enjoy the benefits of technical education, the C.E.O of Joevide Com­pany Limited weighed the available options and entered the Takoradi Polytech­nic, now Takoradi Technical Univer­sity, and obtained Ordinary Techni­cian Di­ploma in Building and Civil Engineer­ing which broad­ened his horizon in studying Mathe­matices, Building Construction and Drawing, Properties of Material, Land Surveying, Workshop Practice and Technology, Structures and Design as well as Elementary Quantity Surveying.

The aforestated subjects could make Lawyer Dr. Danquah decide to work in the building industry or other­wise.

Work Experience

The hardworking C.E.O. of Joev­ide Company worked at Sae Sadelmi as Quantity Surveyor, Limex Bau (a German Company) and with his firm technical background, he came into contact with some quantity Surveyors and Civil Engineers from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

He said that by dint of hard work coupled with his background in tech­nology appreciated by the Resident German Director of Limex Bau, he rose to become the Chief Engineer of the company in a matter of three years.

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Dr. Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah
Dr. Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah

But he later resigned and estab­lished his own company by name “Joevide Company Limited” which had undertaken several road and building projects as the main contractors and sub contractors in various parts of the country.

Some of his company’s clients are Goil, Total, Consar, Getfund, some Municipal Assemblies, DANIDA, Gha­na Highway Authority, Department of Feeder Roads, AGDECO (a British Company) and MSF Construction among other reputable organisations.

He joined lecturers from selected technical universities who had been granted permission to pursue their Master’s Degree at HAN University in the Netherlands after which he decid­ed to read law ie LLB and LLM at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi.

Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah (middle) with his wife Vida, children and relatives at a graduation
Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah (middle) with his wife Vida, children and relatives at a graduation

During his studies for his two Mas­ter’s degrees, his Dissertation earned him Doctor of Business Administration in Leadership and strategic Manage­ment (Honoris Causa).

Advice

Dr. J.B Danquah Esq. advised the youth to see perseverance as the key to whatever one wants to achieve in life. He again urged the youth to heed to wise counsel as there was no short cut to success.

He is married to Mrs. Vida Danquah and they have Kojo Katakyie, Kofi Kantinka, Kwesi Kokroko, Nana Yaw Obrempong and Nhyira Mamfoah as their children.

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By Castro Zangina-Tong

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Minority opposes proposed Telecel-AT merger, describes deal as ‘Unconscionable’

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The Minority in Parliament has strongly objected to any planned merger or partnership between the government and Telecel, describing the deal as “technically, operationally, and financially unconscionable.”

Ranking Member on the Communications Committee, Matthew Nyindam, raised the concern during a media briefing in Parliament.

He questioned why both the Minister of Communications and Telecel would publicly announce a merger and then suddenly go silent on the matter.

“We object to any deal with Telecel by way of merger, absorption, or acquisition. This is a scheme to dispose of a national asset to fill private pockets,” Mr. Nyindam stated.

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He argued that Telecel has not demonstrated any special technical or operational expertise that staff and management of AT (formerly AirtelTigo) do not already possess.

According to him, Telecel had earlier promised to invest $500 million after acquiring Vodafone Ghana but failed to do so, a situation he fears could repeat itself if the government allows another deal.

Mr. Nyindam claimed that Telecel was already indebted to the tune of $400 million, adding that the company only seeks to benefit from AT’s over three million customers to expand its own base without making any real investment.

“The government must not surrender the capacity of a state-owned company to a private entity through majority ownership. There is no clear plan to protect the jobs and livelihoods of thousands of workers,” he stressed.

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The Minority Caucus is therefore calling on the government to halt any discussions or agreements with Telecel regarding the proposed merger, insisting that the deal is not in the national interest.

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DVLA suspends road compliance fines

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The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has suspended all fines issued by its Compliance Team on the country’s roads, effective Wednesday, October 15, 2025.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Authority explained that the suspension follows feedback from the public and further consultations with stakeholders.

The Compliance Team’s enforcement exercise, which had been intensified in recent weeks, was aimed at ensuring that drivers and vehicles met all legal requirements before operating on the road.

However, the DVLA said it was pausing the activity to allow for more engagement and public education on the exercise before it is reintroduced.

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While assuring the public of its commitment to promoting safety and compliance, the Authority emphasized that the suspension only affects the fines and charges being enforced by the Compliance Team.

It added that all legal requirements for drivers and vehicles to operate on Ghana’s roads remain in force.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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