Table of Contents · Patrick is a prolific writer, personal development instructor and motivational...

Table of Contents

BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................ 1

OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................................ 2

THE PROGRAMME .................................................................................................................................... 2

Programme Details .................................................................................................................................... 3

Expected Outcome .................................................................................................................................... 4

Speakers .................................................................................................................................................... 4

Dr. Kweku Asah-Opoku ........................................................................................................................ 4

Mr. Paul Kofi Mante ............................................................................................................................. 4

Mr. Patrick Otieku-Boadu ...................................................................................................................... 5

OPENING ..................................................................................................................................................... 6

Welcome Address .................................................................................................................................. 6

Message from the Executive Director ............................................................................................... 6

SESSION 1: LIFE TESTIMONY by Dr. Kweku Asah-Opoku ................................................................ 7

SESSION 2: SEE YOU AT THE TOP by Mr. Paul Mante ...................................................................... 9

SESSION 3: INSIDE OUT – DIGGING DEEPER by Mr. Patrick Otieku-Boadu ............................. 11

EVALUATION ............................................................................................................................................ 14

PHOTO GALLERY ................................................................................................................................... 24

CLOSING..................................................................................................................................................... 34

APPRECIATION ........................................................................................................................................ 35

MISSIONS & MANDATES CONFERENCE, APRIL 2016

BACKGROUND

There are many teens and youth who are not enjoying their lives because they do not

know why they are here on this earth. They live without knowing the purpose for their

existence. We have heard so much about the need to have a vision. A vision answers to

what you hope to see or become in some near or distant future. A vision answers the

destination question. A vision is a new state you will like to attain. There is the vehicle

that one needs in order to reach this destination. A mission answers the question of how

to accomplish the vision. It deals with the strategies, tactics and operations for reaching

the vision. It is the vehicle that moves you from your current state to your new and

desired state. This concept of missions, when applied to life, provides a definition of

one’s life and guides like a compass towards one’s destination. Your mission is very

essential for increase in personal productivity and for the fulfillment of your life. The joy

of living is in identifying your mission and following that which God has put on your

heart. Your mission will give you a sense of purpose.

This was the idea behind the Missions and Mandates Conference. Youths were urged to

actively participate in the sessions of the conference, especially if they were not sure

what their missions were. The belief was that the conference would provide a turning

point in their lives, with the hope that their mission would not place them in the Guinness

Book of Records, but in the pages of history, where posterity will see what God did with

their life.

The conference has come at a time when recent events around the world and in our

country suggest a lack of understanding of man’s purpose in life. In a typical simple and

value packed style, this conference meant to give deep insight into what man’s mission

on earth is, its source, the mandate, how to identify and develop it and the source of

power to fulfill it. The conference put into perspective the role of everyday pursuits such

as formal education, volunteerism, apprenticeship and other life experiences in fulfilling

man’s mission.

At the conference, participants were pointed to the main lessons at the end of each

session/presentation that would greatly serve as a springboard for the achievement of

one’s mission.

The principles discussed at the conference sought to empower anyone who participated

and practiced them, in order to leave a mark on the world, and point to the fact that life

had been truly worth living.


OBJECTIVES

At this conference, participants discovered:

1. How to take control of their future.

2. How to move from “Employee” to “Entrepreneur”.

3. How to get on the road to success.

4. The means by which to become agents of positive change.

5. The opportunities available in improving their social and professional skills.

6. The requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes for effective living.

7. Through practical resource persons, how to be agents of change in their lives.

THE PROGRAMME

Missions & Mandates Conference is a quarterly programme of the Young Dreamer

Network-Ghana. The conference is a straight talk designed to equip, empower and

encourage participants (youth).


Participants were expected to put the lessons of Missions & Mandates Conference into

action, and take that final step from saying “I can” to saying “I am.”

Participants were promised a learning opportunity that would ensure they depart ready to

transform their lives and their community.

Participants at this Mission & Mandates Conference came prepared to learn a step-by-

step system that would show them how to put the dynamic principles of Missions and

Mandates into vibrant action in their lives.

Programme Details


This was a day programme to mobilize the youth/teens in the New Weija Community of

the Greater Accra Region to educate, motivate and mentor them to help build their

confidence to deal with problematic situations, and to become active in the community.

Date: Saturday April 30, 2016 | Time: 8:30am – 1:30pm

Venue: The Church of Pentecost | Mandela Central Auditorium, SCC, Accra

Expected Outcome

At the end of the programme, it was expected that participants would have been:

Encouraged to become agents of positive change.

Aware of opportunities available in improving their social and professional skills.

Speakers

1. Dr. Kweku Asah-Opoku – (Gynaecologist, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra)

2. Paul Kofi Mante – (Deputy Head, Ecobank Development Corporation)

3. Patrick Otieku-Boadu – (President, Spearhead Consult)

Dr. Kweku Asah-Opoku

Dr. Asah-Opoku is a specialist gynaecologist with the Department of Obstetrics

and Gynaecology at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. He is a Christian, married,

with a daughter and interested in youth development.

Mr. Paul Kofi Mante

Paul Kofi Mante is the deputy head of Ecobank Development Corporation (EDC)

Investments Limited. He is also the head of business development of the Asset

Management business of EDC, and a board member of the EDC Ghana Balanced

Fund – the biggest balanced fund in Ghana.

He holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Ghana.

Paul is currently the facilitator/lecturer for the Corporate Finance and, Accounting

and Finance courses of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and

Technology (Institute of Distance Learning) Executive Master in Business and

Public Administration program. He supervises a number of student dissertations

and supervised 15 students in 2014. Paul is a visiting lecturer at the Logos

Graduate School. He has done several public lectures on Wealth Creation,

Financial Independence and Investment Opportunities for Churches, Universities,

Secondary Schools, Companies and a number of Executive MBA classes.

Paul is an author and writer, and has written for several magazines and

newspapers. He is the author of the book titled – “Master Your Personal Finance,

A Starters Guide to Becoming Rich”. This book is master piece on personal

finance. In May 2014, Paul was selected one of 20 Africa’s Rising Stars by


Euromoney Magazine – http://www.euromoney.com/Article/3338652/Meet-

Africas-rising-stars.html

He is an elder with the Church of Pentecost, New Aplaku District - English

Assembly as well as the District Finance Committee chairman. He is also the

district youth leader of the New Aplaku District and the assistant youth leader of

Kasoa Area Youth Ministry of the Church of Pentecost that has over 6,500 youth

Membership.

He is the president of the Christian Couples Club and the founder of Network for

Change.

Paul Mante is married to Linda and blessed with four sons (Nhyira, Nyamekye,

Nyameye and Obrempong).

Paul’s special interest is empowering young people through various platforms.

He believes what Africa needs in the next 20 years are people who have been

empowered to bring the change Africa needs. Within the past eight years, he has

organized several residential camps to empower young power. In 2014, Paul

handled more than 100 speaking engagements.

Mr. Patrick Otieku-Boadu

After eleven (11) years of service in different management roles of corporate life

in a major telecommunications company in Ghana, Patrick Otieku-Boadu decided

to pursue his God-given dream of empowering the youth of his time. “Your

success is my mission”, is Patrick’s personal life mission.

Patrick is a prolific writer, personal development instructor and motivational

speaker. He has authored several books and as a motivational speaker and trainer,

specializes in topics like Business Opportunity Identification, Talent Discovery,

Career Development, Personal Financial Management, Increasing Personal

Productivity and Personal Leadership.

Patrick is an ordained Reverend Minister of the Gospel with the Victory Bible

Church International, Dominion Sanctuary with a special ministry with teens and

the youth.

With almost two decades of youth development, 11 years of corporate experience,

a prison ministry and life coaching credentials, Patrick is armed with all the

relevant tools to empower, encourage and equip both young and old to rediscover

themselves.

Patrick Otieku-Boadu is the president of Spearhead Consult. His joy is to see the

youth move to the next and better level in life.

http://www.euromoney.com/Article/3338652/Meet-Africas-rising-stars.html

http://www.euromoney.com/Article/3338652/Meet-Africas-rising-stars.html


OPENING

Welcome Address

The Missions and Mandates Conference opened with a prayer and a

welcome address by Pastor Steve Millar, District Pastor of the Church of

Pentecost, New Weija District. He expressed his joy hosting the

conference and prayed all the young persons present would leave feeling

inspired, and they would put that inspiration to use in bettering their lives

and that of their communities and country.

Message from the Executive Director

In a video recorded message from the Executive Director of Young Dreamer Network,

Mr. Brian Buntz, he thanked Pastor Millar for opening his doors to hosting the

conference. Mr. Buntz informed the gathering that Young Dreamer Network exists to

empower and enable young people to be able to become difference makers and leaders.

He expressed the hope that through the conference, this

vision of empowerment would be extended to all

participants, and at the end of the day, participants would

understand their potential to contribute to their

communities and to the global community.

Mr. Brian Buntz expressed his gratitude to the speakers

and participants for making the time to be a part of the

Missions and Mandates Conference. Ending his message,

he said the expectation is that all present would learn a

lot, grow a lot and establish great relationships with all

present.


SESSION 1: LIFE TESTIMONY by Dr. Kweku Asah-Opoku

Facilitated by Dr. Kweku Asah-Opoku, he

began his address by stating that, he is always

happy to see young people gathering to dream

into the future, and pick up things to equip them

so they can become people who will meet the

potential God has placed in them.

He shared his life with participants, a few things he has experienced among the youth of

today and told them about the things that young dreamers should place emphasis on and

look into.

From humble beginnings, he grew up not having much, but he was content with what he

had, and did all he could to help out at home. This included him having to carry food and

sell by the roadside and sometimes going into the bush to cut firewood for the home.

He saw other children his age being driven around by their parents in big cars, attending

the best private schools in Ghana, but unfortunately, he did not have that luxury. By dint

of hard work, he made it from a public basic school which runs on the shift classroom

system, to one of the best senior high schools in Ghana. He did not stop there. He was

one of three science students selected to represent his school at a National Science and

Mathematics Quiz, where he had the opportunity to rub shoulders and interact with other

brilliant minds.

From senior high school, he made it into the University of Ghana determined to study

medicine. Entry into the medical school at the time, and now, is highly competitive. It has

always been thought that to make it into the medical school, a student needs to know an

influential person, or have a relative in a very high position, or be exceptionally brilliant.

Not knowing anyone of any influence or having an influential relative, he made it into the

medical school, and is now a gynaecologist in the biggest hospital in Ghana. How was

this possible? He had nothing, he knew no one, but his dream of becoming a medical

doctor materialized because he worked hard, and he believed that God could lift anyone

up from a position of nothing to something.

This, he said is something young people of today do not understand. They want the good

life, but are not willing to work hard for it. They want the good life, but they expect

everything to be handed down to them on a silver platter. According to Dr. Asah-Opoku,

life is not just about a seed being sown, it is about running with that seed. One concept he

said all young people should fully grasp is that, one’s beginnings do not matter. It does


not matter where one starts from. God can, and will pick anyone up and carry them to

higher heights.

He made it known to participants that he holds the firm belief that all his experiences, all

he went through growing up, was meant to build him up for something greater in future.

He encouraged all present to learn from whatever experience they go through saying that

you do not have to come from a well-to-do background to become somebody in future.

According to Dr. Kweku Asah-Opoku, all one needs to do is to have a vision, work hard

towards attaining it and fix their gaze on God, believing and knowing that He would

reward their hard work with success.

He ended his presentation by giving participants five points with which to live their lives

by:

Learn to lean on the Lord – pray

Hard work – perseverance

Do not despise humble beginnings

It is good to dream

Set targets

Audit your life

At the end of this session with Dr. Kweku Asah-Opoku, participants had the opportunity

to ask questions, make comments and generally interact with the speaker. One participant

wanted to find out how to know the right program to pursue in senior high school. He

responded by saying that, before making a choice in course of study, students need to talk

to their parents and possibly teachers at their basic education level who know their

strengths and weaknesses in terms of study of educational subjects.


SESSION 2: SEE YOU AT THE TOP by Mr. Paul Mante

Mr. Paul Mante kicked off his address with a call on

the youth present to build up their character. He

explained that just like the first speaker, he started

from humble beginnings; from a public basic school,

to selling all kinds of items on the streets, to one of

the best senior high schools in the country, and

thence to the university for his first degree and

MBA. He further stated that two things happened to him early in his life, which he

believes impacted him a great deal. The first was he accepted Christ and the second was a

conference he attended titled Winning Ways.

Today, he knows he is a difference maker and is aware that it is possible to make it. At

his age, he already has so many credentials to his name, so many achievements, and he

believes this is not the end. All this he said is possible because of two things: The God

Factor and Appropriate Information.

He titled his presentation “See You at the Top”, and he gave seven (7) keys to

making it to the top.

1. Understand the power of choice: He stated that life is shaped by the choices

individuals make. According to him, no one can get to the top by making wrong

choices. He added that whatever we do, it is a choice and that no one can have all

the finer things in life if they do not put in the work.

2. You need to have a vision into the future: There are a number of factors that

affect our life, but none is as powerful as vision i.e., the dreams we have. What

you expect is what will come to you. He told participants to ask themselves the

future they are creating mentally for themselves. Vision in his opinion, goes with

planning. He also admonished the youth that, at the end of the Missions and

Mandates conference, they should sit down and write their life goals. They need

to come up with at least a 20 year plan. He further advised that by the time they

go on retirement, all should have investments worth $1million. He added that, it is

not possible to have the life one wants to live without putting in any effort.

3. Create the right environment around yourself: There are two things that

according to him will make us wiser, that is, the books we read and the people we

meet. He advised that participants should be deliberate about the people they

choose as friends.

4. You can be the first person to have done it: The fact that it has not been done

before does not mean that you cannot do it. The fact that it has never been


attempted by anyone does not mean that it is impossible. You may very well be

the first person to do it. All you need to do is try, said Mr. Paul Mante.

5. Write your name and leave a legacy: In the next 30 years, when your name is

mentioned, what will be associated with your name? Yes, the name we are given

at birth is important, but what is more important is the legacy we leave behind. In

life, there is a name you are given, and a name you write yourself. He stated that,

though there are many names in the Bible, not all are associated with good

because of the legacy the holders of these names left behind.

6. Take a decision to be rich: He stated that, there is the traditional way of thinking,

which is, go to school, get an education and get a good job. But this way of

thinking is old. The new way of thinking is, understand how to manage your

finances, and be financially independent. He counseled all present to get to a stage

in their life where it is possible to live without a salary. He said that all present

should take a decision to be rich because financial independence is a choice. Life

is not all about money, but money must be understood. Almost everything

physical can be answered with money. Poverty however makes nonsense of our

intelligence. Money gives you the ability to do more things. To become a

millionaire according to him is not difficult. All one needs is discipline,

consistency and time.

7. Love the Lord and love righteousness: The Lord will elevate you if you

consecrate and purify yourselves. You do not know what will happen tomorrow,

and if there is something you need to do, do it today. He ended his delivery by

stating that, participants should never doubt that a small group of committed

people can change the world.

At the end of this presentation, the floor was opened to participants to comment and ask

questions. A participant commented saying that he does not particularly enjoy

conferences that talk about making money and enriching yourselves, the reason being

that, you are told you need to be rich, you are told how to do it, but the how to does not

immediately come across as possible to do. But with Mr. Paul Mante’s presentation,

though he talked about making money, he actually found himself enjoying it most

especially because all that Mr. Paul Mante said was practical and it sounded possible to

do and achievable.


SESSION 3: INSIDE OUT – DIGGING DEEPER by Mr. Patrick

Otieku-Boadu

According to Mr. Patrick Otieku-Boadu, nothing that had been said at the conference,

nothing he had to say can change anyone present, because change can only be opened

from the inside. “Whatever we say, if you do not open the door, nothing will happen in

your life”. Ideas are being shared here with you, but a lot will depend on you. He

announced his presentation was thus aptly titled “Inside Out – Digging Deeper”.

He then took a cut lime and sucked on it.

Participants squeezed their faces as if in

pain, and he asked why faces were being

squeezed when he was the one taking in

the lime. He then went on to declare how

easy it is to influence people. Although he

took in the lime, it was those around that

thought they were experiencing the sour

taste because of what they were seeing.

He concluded with the statement that, to

influence people is very easy. We are told mathematics is difficult, we do not try it, but

because we have been told it is difficult, we also conclude that it is difficult. It is easy to

believe in a lie, he added. “Experience for yourself. Do not conclude based on the

experiences of others.”

He went on to say that “everything in this world is either growing or dying. If you are not

growing, you are dying.” He asked participants what drives them. He said that there are

people who have a dream and know where they are going – these people are growing.

There are others who have no idea where they are going and have no dreams about their

future – these people are dying. “If you are not growing, you will die. If you really want

to make an impact in your generation, you have got to grow. Some unfortunately, have

been dying since the day they were born,” said Mr. Patrick Otieku-Boadu.

According to the speaker, there are two zones in this world to operate in, that is, the

growth zone or the comfort zone. There is no growth in the comfort zone, just as there is

no comfort in the growth zone. If you want to grow, you must sacrifice some comfort in

your life. You need to push yourself in order to grow. If you really want to make it,

decide which zone you are going to operate in. This, he said cuts across every aspect of

life.


He added that, with everything participants want to begin, they need to start with an

outcome in mind. “Where do you want to go in the next five years?” asked Mr. Otieku-

Boadu. According to him, anytime the unconscious mind senses a goal is beyond it, it

won’t try to achieve it. The goals we set, he said, should be within a certain range to drive

the body to achieve it. You have to set goals that are flexible, goals that can be adjusted

with changing circumstances. He also advised that it is a good idea to write down goals.

Reading them will drive you to achieve them.

In his opinion, there are a lot of people walking around thinking they have set goals, but

what they really have set are states. States he said are ambiguous, broad and do not have

any steps to them being achieved. Goals on the other hand are specific, detailed and there

are predetermined steps to ensure they are achieved. Values, he added, have a great

impact on the desired outcome. That is, values, not behavior or attitude. He explained that

by values, he means what is important to us. The foundation of every attitude and

behavior, he said, is our value system. Our values are shaped by family, school, religion,

friends, where we live, media and the economic environment.

He went on to explain that the first seven years of any child’s life are the imprint period.

This is the time when children can easily be imprinted and influenced by family or

anyone close to them. Between the ages of 8 and 13, is the modeling period. Here,

children do whatever they see their family or those close to them do. The socialization

period is between the ages of 14 and 21. During this phase, teenagers take from friends

and compare to what they were taught during the imprint period. If what was imparted

during the imprint period makes sense to them after this comparison, they accept it,

however if it does not, they reject it and take what friends give them. The imprint period

is therefore very important to the value system that is shaped in all individuals.

He touched on wealth. He stated that some people can never be rich in their lives because

during the imprint period, all they did was spend with no accountability required of them.

They thus grow up to become consumers. “If you do not grow, your competitors will

bypass you” he stated.

Participants were advised to run when they wake up. “You need to run faster and better.

You must be angry with your situation to drive and push you to achieve. Let under-

satisfaction drive you to do better. People are always trying to take money from you. If

you do not have a product or service, you cannot take money from people. When the Sun

goes up, you better start running. Run with the gospel, run with prayer” admonished Mr.

Patrick Otieku-Boadu.


To run the race, you have to increase your pace. You need knowledge, to have an edge

over others. You need skills, which have to be developed. You finally need an attitude,

the right attitude to move you forward. He advised participants to take advantage of

technology.

Finally, he gave participants what he calls a 3P Productivity Plan.

Project – should be focused

People – those who help and not harm

Priorities – important over unimportant

He ended his presentation by saying that when you start a race, you need to finish it.

Finish whatever you start.

Participants were then given the opportunity to make comments and ask questions. One

participant commented on the value of reading. According to her, she realized the

benefits of reading early in her life, and has kept it up. It is her hope that, all young

people will do same and try to read as much as they can. In order to further this hope, she

does her bit by selling books to assist with enriching the lives of young people through

reading.


EVALUATION

Mr. Cyril Otieku-Boadu, Program Director of the Ghana Chapter of the Young Dreamer

Network, led participants through an evaluation of the conference using questionnaires.

The questions were set to rate the conference as a whole, the speakers and their

presentations. The evaluation questionnaire also gave participants the opportunity to

make suggestions for a better conference next time. Below is the summary of the

feedback.


PHOTO GALLERY


CLOSING

The Missions and Mandates Conference ended with a vote of thanks by Mr. Cyril Otieku-

Boadu, and a closing prayer by Pastor Steve Millar.

All participants interviewed at the end of the conference, had nothing but good words to

rate their impression of the conference. They said, not only had they learnt a lot, but all

they had been taught came across as doable and they intend to apply the lessons learnt to

their lives in order to have a shot at a better life. They added that it would be a great joy

to participate in future conferences put together by the Young Dreamer Network – Ghana

Chapter.

The speakers, also speaking at the end, said they felt the conference was a successful one.

Though attendance could have been better, they still believed that those present

benefitted from the knowledge they had to share. They expressed their desire to

participate in future conferences, and Pastor Steve Millar said his doors are always open

to the Young Dreamer Network.


APPRECIATION

We are very thankful to the leadership and entire membership of Tapestry Church,

Redwood City, California for their immense support for the Missions and Mandates

Conference. Our gratitude also goes to Dr. & Mrs. Kasali (San Francisco, USA); Eld.

Alex Oppong Peprah (The Church of Pentecost, Kaneshie Central Chapel, Accra-Ghana)

and Ps. & Mrs. Millar (New Weija District Pastor, Accra-Ghana). We benefited most

from their counsel, contribution and hospitality. Our final appreciation goes to Mr. Abdul

Malik Sulley (University of Western Ontario, Canada) for designing all our materials for

the conference. The team (Eugenia, Ernest, Ethel, Elvis, Felix, Vera, Ernest, Belinda,

Nana Ayisi, Solomon, Nana Kwame, Benjamin, Ephraim, etc.) deserve commendation

for all their honest input and zeal in diverse way.

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