This is my third article in the Daily Graphic on Apostle Kwadwo Safo and his engineering feats. I watched his exhibition on December 31, 2017, at Awoshie in Accra on television, his 37th annual exhibition. I have personally attended one of them.

Among the dignitaries at the exhibition was the President, the first time a sitting president had attended. Apostle Safo exhibited a machine that identifies and names leaves, a television operated through a musical conductor’s conducting skills, a tricar limousine and others.

Speeches showered praises on him and made promises of help. Notably, there has been no help for this great man all along. Elsewhere he would have been a national asset.

Are we going to sit by for Apostle Safo to pass on only to realise that we have lost a gem? It happened to Nana Drobo in the 1990s when he found a cure for HIV and AIDS at a time the western world could not even control the weight loss and diarrhoea of AIDS patients And by our scepticism he died with his knowledge. Apostle Safo should not go that way.

​At the latest exhibition, the Minister of Science, Environment, Technology and Innovation gave his prepared speech on behalf of the government while the President himself gave an extempore speech. In both speeches, there was no promise of intended concrete support by the government beyond the fact that the government was creating an enabling environment to allow all such endeavours to flourish. That is a general approach and not good enough to support a particular local ingenuity.

We have had Adom and Boafo vehicles in the 1970s but we did not support them. That was when Tata had not even started manufacturing. Toyota and Nissan (called Datsun then) had just started manufacturing. We could have been miles ahead by now if we had supported the effort.

Our universities have been disappointing in this matter. Apostle Safo has received honorary doctorates from at least the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Ghana, Legon, yet the recognition was not for his engineering feats, rather for his philanthropic deeds. Yes, he is a philanthropist, but more importantly, he is an engineering wonder and that is what I expected the universities to recognise and award him for. By now one of our universities should have established a chair for him, a chair for Apostle Safo Engineering Studies.

An engineer in one of our universities once said Apostle Safo’s manufactured aeroplane would never fly because it did not conform to the laws of aeronautical metallurgy in welding the joints of the plane. I asked, “Why don’t you assist him?” He answered: “We invited him but he would not come.” I asked: “Why do you not go to him?” No tangible answer was given. Are we developing our local initiative?

What are our Institute of Engineering, entrepreneurs, individuals and civil society, on the whole, doing to support?

At the said exhibition, Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, who also attended, gave suggestions for concrete support: By an administrative fiat the government can direct all ministries, departments and agencies procuring vehicles to include at least one Kantanka vehicle; the government should include a Kantanka vehicle in its fleet of state protocol vehicles and any foreign diplomat or president coming to Ghana will be picked from the airport in that vehicle; the President on national occasions could ride in that vehicle, not just for national pride but to support and showcase what we have. That is a concrete support which would be a good example for others to follow.

We add other suggestions that the government, when buying vehicles for chiefs, for example, could buy Kantanka vehicles. The government or the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation should invite Apostle Safo, sit down with him and discuss where he can be supported. The government can also waive taxes for the parts it imports for its industries in order to make his final products relatively cheap. The 275 parliamentarians can be encouraged to use his vehicles. It is not a good reflection that Madam Adwoa Safo, Minister of State in charge of Procurement and MP for Dome Kwabenya is not using her father’s vehicle. The impression out there is that if the vehicle was strong enough she would have been the first person to use one to advertise for her father.

It is my hope that Apostle Safo has catalogued all these inventions such that in his absence, even if a new invention cannot be made, others can replicate what he has already catalogued. It is my aspiration that come the next exhibition in December 2018 the invited guests would all be attending the exhibition in Kantanka vehicles and the state would be picking officials at the airport in a Kantanka vehicle.
Source: Columnist Dr Akwesi Osei

Kantanka Onantefo – Has a comforting and relaxing interiors differentiated with supportive seats with unique layouts, effective climate control system to breeze out your stress. The car has an engine capacity of 2.4 Multi Point Injector (MPI), with an affordable fuel consumption of 10.3litres covering 100km per hour.

Omama Luxury – The car has a spectacular human-machine interface with unique classic style. Built to reduce frequency of maintenance and operational cost. It comes with an engine capacity of 1.9 Turbo-Charge Direct Injector (TDI) with fuel consumption of 7.8 liters covering 100km per hour.

Omama Hard Body – The vehicle has an all-new turbo diesel engine with the capacity of 2.2cc and a fuel consumption of 7.8 liters per 100 km road cover. The vehicle also has a very tough body with a breeze luxury view and offers a wide range of choice with a wheelbase of 3025mm and a loading mass of 500kg.

K71 –  A luxurious high-performance vehicle with an ultra-modern standard technical features that guarantees the safety, comfort, and the general satisfaction of the customer. The car comes with a driver front airbag, ABS/EBD system, Rear Camera View, the energy absorbing steering column with a unique 1.5 cc engine capacity and a fuel consumption of 5.8litres covering 100km per hour.

Ghanaians both home and abroad have started to accept and patronize the Kantanka brand of vehicles in a grand style. A lot of them are now riding in proudly built car made by the genius technologist of our time popularly known as Apostle Dr. Ing. Kwadwo Safo and his entire Kantanka Automobile workers.

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Bekwai Constituency Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu has followed the suite to purchase himself a classic Kantanka K71 which was outdoored officially at Kristo Asafo 37th Annual Technology Exhibition which was held at Awoshie few days ago.

The occasion was graced by Ghana's President Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo and  Minister’s of State including the first  Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu was enthused with the technological display of Apostle Safo and his team. He later pledged to buy one of the cars which was outdoored at the occasion ranging from  the latest Kantanka K71(Mini-SUV), Omama (Pickup), Amoanimaa and Mensah (Sedan).

The latest Kantanka K71 which he pledged and purchased after the occasion was delivered to him on Friday, 5th of January 2018 in his office at the Office of Parliament House in Accra, by the Kantanka delivery team led by the marketing executive Mr. Ebo Safo.

Source: Kantankaautomobile.com

"2017 I said I was a man in a hurry. But in 2018, we are coming with supersonic speed," Akufo-Addo stated when he took part in a technology exhibition organised by Kristo Asafo - manufacturers of the kantanka brand of vehicles.

President Akufo-Addo reiterated that his government is going to position Ghana beyond aid.

He therefore commended Apostle Kwadwo Safo for his achievements in the technology sector, adding that is another possible means to attain self-sufficiency.

Items manufactured by the Founder and Leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission, Apostle Dr Kwadwo Safo Kantanka, and his team of engineers from the Kantanka Technological Centre of Excellence (KTCE) at Gomoa Mpota in the Central Region were displayed at the exhibition.

Source: Starrfmonline.com

The Akufo-Addo administration is set to follow through plans to allocate one percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to fund research in the short term.

This, according to Minister of Environment Science and Technology, Professor Frimpong Boateng, will come alongside the development of a Science, Technology and Innovation Fund.

Speaking at a technology exhibition of the Kristo Asafo Church in Awoshie-Accra, Professor Frimpong Boateng assured that the government was putting in a lot of effort to develop research in the country.

He, however, noted the need for administrative structures to ensure prudent use of prospective funds.

"We have been complaining that we don't have enough money for research and development. In Ghana, we talk a lot without thinking about the administrative financial framework and so on. So if someone is given 1 billion dollars now, we would not know how to administer it, he stated.

Thus, Professor Frimpong Boateng added that this was the reason a Science, Technology and Innovation fund was needed "so that when we get the money, we would be able to know how to administer it."

"This policy document is before Cabinet and when this is approved, our President has promised that in the short term, we would devote one percent of GDP to that fund so that we would have money for research."

Ghana's GDP is currently around $45.5 billion.

Professor Frimpong Boateng had previously lamented the allocation of 0.025% of GDP to his ministry for research purposes.

According to him, more is needed in the government's quest to address the country's challenges through research and innovation.

The Founder and Leader of Kristo Asafo Mission of Ghana and Chairman of the Kantanka Group of Companies, Apostle Dr Kwadwo Safo,  has showcased his latest technological ingenuity at the 37th Annual Kristo Asafo Science and Technology Exhibition at Awoshie, Accra.

The years exhibition which was held on December 31st marks the church's 37th anniversary as Apostle Kwadwo Safo sought to promote the technological mind of the black man which was endorsed by President Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology and Innovation, Dr Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, the Honorable Minister of State for Procurement, Deputy Majority leader, MP for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency and Daughter of Apostle Kwadwo Safo, Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo, Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, and the chairman of the program and other Honorable Ministers of State and Members of Parliament as well as Traditional Chiefs and the Sultan of Makary.

At the program, Apostle Kwadwo Safo showcased he very first luxurious tricycle Motorbike Limousine. The limousine is decorated with African prints which is what makes it more unique.

Unlike any other appliance, the Kantanka Gesture controlled Home theater system uses a special IoT mobile device. With the help of the mobile device the appliances receives instruction from the user with a word of mouth, the bulb when instructed “kane3 so” meaning “on the light”, same to the standing fan and the home theater switches on with the vice versa switching it off.

The Kantanka Motion sensored 32′ LED Television uses the gesture of the user to increase and decrease volume, switch channels with the aid of a mobile pointing devices.

The 1200W Kantanka solar panel is a rotational panel with distinctive features. It rotate towards the direction of the sun at a distanced focus of 93m miles

1) Herbal Plant Detector (Kantanka Ahaban Afidie): This special machine identifies herbs and plants in local language. It is specially imbedded sensors and Artificial Intelligence which aid in its operation. When a leaf of a plant is placed on its sensing pad, it mentions the name of the herb in Twi Language. This is very important invention for herbal medicine practitioners and biodiversity sustainability researchers.

2) Kantanka V8 Engine: This is a special engine manufactured using local materials like sea shells, and other local materials. Metals employed are copper and brass. With the bearing heat capacity of these two metals, it was a stunt feat to have added the sea shells to ensure its longevity and its heat resistance.

3) Kantanka Mensah and Odeneho Exclusive: This is a saloon vehicle with special detectors and sensors. When the vehicle is programmed to recognise the owner’s fingerprint and other special body parts, it detects mischief when a different person takes the driver’s seat and signal a theft alarm.

The amazing Kantanka Mensah built  purposely for Apostle Dr. Ing. Safo commands user on road safety measures as well as get user informed about the owner of the car. The newly built Kantanka Mensah can’t be stolen easily as it alarm the public continuously when an unknown user tries it usage.

What however intrigued many gathered to watch the exhibits was when a car in which President Akufo-Addo was made to sit in to experience firsthand its features called the first gentleman of the land a thief after he alighted from it.

“Thief, thief… I’ve been robbed. Don’t you know that you are stealing from Odeneho Kantanka engineer 1? I’m not going to move and go anywhere. I’ll make noise until everyone is alerted of your presence”, the installed voice of the car announced.

The notification was met with a roar of laughter at the grounds. Perhaps to clear the air, Apostle Safo Kantanka explained that the President got that treatment because he was not the owner of the car.

Apostle Kwadwo Safo said that "the country should believe in him and rally behind him to use Science and Technology to develop the country." He believes that Ghanaians should be very proud of themselves so that they may reach their fullest potential. He further stated that, "every Ghanaian should be happy to speak his or her dialect as it was given to us by Almighty God."

Apostle Safo also stated that "Ghanaians should work hard and follow the footsteps of some of the Asian countries such as Japan, China, Malaysia and South Korea who were of the same state as Ghana 60 years ago." He urges all Ghanaians and Africans to change their mindset and attitudes since no one will develop our countries and continent for us except for ourselves.

Apostle Safo would like to thank the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo for being the first President of Ghana to attend his Science and Technology Exhibition and also urges the president to coordinate with him to design a technological agenda for the country.

The Founder and Leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission of Ghana today also revealed that the president of the Republic of Ghana Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo has been his friend and lawyer for 33 years. According to him, the president has been a lawyer and a very good friend.  He was my lawyer and my friend so now that he is the President we will work together to develop Ghana. He added that Ghana is blessed to have him and that he will do everything possible to make Ghana a better place.

Apostle Safo would also like to thank all those who attended his technological exhibition and urges the media to promote and air his programs which is designed to awaken all Ghanaians and Africans to believe in themselves to develop the continent.

Source: Kristo Asafo Mission