The Executive Director of the Prison Ministry of Ghana, Mr. Ameyaw Akumfi Buanya has been inducted into the membership of the Eminent West African Nobles Forum at the 20th Anniversary Conference/Awards held at the Holy Trinity Spa and Health Farm, Sogakope on 9th June, 2023. Mr. Buanya received the award for upholding the virtues of honesty, integrity and accountability which have impacted positively on his work and ministry.
The West African Nobles Forum (WANF) is a non-governmental group of more than 2,000 eminent personalities from various fields of work across the sub-region, set up in 2003 to promote integrity and accountability, as well as drive socio-economic integration. It is made up of statemen, legal luminaries, politicians, research fellows, ministers of the gospel, technocrats, medical giants, professionals and captains of industries. The Governing Council nominations are guided by the criteria of integrity, corporate governance and exemplary leadership qualities displayed by these leaders.
Reading the citation to confer the award, the forum noted that Mr. Buanya has over 25years of experience as Assistant Commissioner with the then Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (C.E.P.S). Having joined the C.E.P.S just after transition of the Service from Civil Service Customs and Excise Department, Mr. Buanya was the founding head of what became the vibrant Estate Department of C.E.P.S.
A Presbyterian by birth and choice, he has served as the president of his congregation’s Men’s Fellowship. He led his siblings to hand over the house inherited by him from their late father, Nana Kru Buanya (a.k.a. Joseph Edmund Buanya) to the Presbyterian Church of Ghana as the residence of students for the establishment of the Abeaseman Senior High School. This was in honor of their father who had been instrumental in the establishment of the P.C.G. and Western education in the Abease Traditional Area. He has also partnered with others to complete the construction of the manse for the resident pastor of the Zoe Congregation of P.C.G. at Abease. The group also renovated the church building and provided furniture for use therein. A new 6-room block has also been put up for the P.C.G. Junior High School in the town. Over the years, he has been making other contributions for improving the welfare of members of the church, in Abease and in other rural churches.
An ardent believer in the idea that one man’s cast-off clothing is the “Christmas party dress” of another man, he actively gathers used clothing from the well-to-do and distributes same to needy poor, rural communities.
He has been a life-member of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI) since 1997 and has been a Chapter President for seven (7) years. The Fellowship has been his inspiration and training grounds for passionate service, evangelism, missions and ministry. In fact, he came to the Prison Ministry of Ghana as a representative of the Fellowship.
Mr. Buanya is the Chief Elder of the Seed House Fellowship which seeks to train and empower young ministers of the Gospel by providing a platform for practical missions under the eagle-eyes of seasoned ministers and religious leaders. Kingdom Aids International which connects workers in the Kingdom business to resources for their operations is also run by Mr. Buanya. These are non-denominational Christian voluntary non-profit organizations servicing particularly rural and poor congregations/assemblies. Using these resources, outreaches are organized in various localities and are well patronized.
Mr. Buanya has been a two-term Board Chairman for the O’Reilly Senior High School. The re-location of this school from its Adabraka rented premises opposite the National Archives to her permanent location at Okpoi Gonno, Teshie was initiated and successfully over-seen by this Board.
Mr. Buanya is currently a first-term Board Chairman of the Abeaseman Community Senior High School, at Abease in the Pru West District of the Bono East Region. Under-resourced and located in one of the poorest, darkest and least developed communities in Ghana where guinea worm infestation is still common, the sustenance and development of this school are both a debilitating challenge, and also an exciting opportunity to “let the light shine!”
He cherishes preaching and sharing his testimony to various groups, no matter where they may be located. He also engages in one-on-one “chats” with the younger folks. The aim in all he does, is to project the centrality of the Gospel of Christ Jesus, to the end that somebody somewhere may hear the Word that lifts his/her burden off. Seeking not to let his one hand know what (good deed) his other hand does and to avoid publicizing whatever beneficial thing he does is his major confining factor. According to Mr. Buanya “Permitting myself to be brought into the open to tell others what good deeds one may be credited with has been a very difficult decision to make. For what do we have that was not given to us by He who is the Almighty, and has given us this grace?” He has since 2016 been engaged full time as the Executive Director of the Prison Ministry of Ghana.