By Lion Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan, PMJF

The Country Coordinating Lion, PID HOB Lawal, the Constitutional Area 8B Leader, PCC Gbolagade Adebisi, the District Governor, Immediate Past District Governor, Vice District Governor, Past District Governors, Distinguished Guests, Lions, Leos, Members of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen. Today, I receive the baton as the District Governor for D418, Ghana for the 2024/2025 service year. I thank the Almighty God for bringing me thus far, as He has shown Himself strong and faithful at every turn, keeping me focused on a course He has charted for me. I also most sincerely thank the Club delegates who played a major role in making this possible.

I express my gratitude to the Governors who have occupied the seat before me and have worked hard to nurture our young District. Your efforts and sacrifices will never be in vain.

My appreciation goes to members of my Club, Kumasi Royal Lions Club for accepting to put me up for this ultimate position when some Clubs in Accra and Tema suggested to them. I am extremely grateful to the Lions and Leos of District 418, who assisted me in diverse ways up this road. Last but not least, to my nuclear family, my children, the Lions and non-Lions, who have stuck by me through thick and thin, I offer you loads of gratitude. The position is a one-year journey, so
one needs to hit the ground running from day one to contribute one’s quota in the building of the District and also in offering quality impactful service to the underprivileged in our communities. Every minute of the year should not be wasted. I wish to assure you that I will dedicate my 3Ts, Time, Talent and Treasure to the cause of Lion Service in this role.

Vision

My vision is to foster unity among our members to enhance our service to the community, grow our membership, be effectively trained for Lions service and our personal development as well as donate to LCIF. Where there is unity there is friendship, the feeling of being one another’s keeper. Such a relationship established amongst us can easily be transferred on a greater scale to the community we have come together to support to make their lives better. The theme of the International 1st Vice President, who takes office on 1st July 2024 as the International President for 2024/2025 Lions Service year, Lion Fabricio Oliveira, is “Make a Mark”. For the 2024/2025 service year, D418 will make indelible marks in all four areas of Lions’ activities and our slogan is “Let’s Make a Mark! Yes, we will”.

Transparency and Accountability will be employed in every move because members will need to know what we do and how well we are leading them in the right direction. “Let’s Make a Mark! Yes we will”.

Every voice from every tier of the District structure will count. As long as suggestions are brought to our attention, we will discuss them and determine whether they are worth implementing in their current form or need tweaking. We will operate an open-door policy, however, we shall frown on gossip, peddling of falsehood and undermining of leadership which are inhibiting the growth of the District. “Let’s Make a Mark! Yes we will”.

Theme

My theme for the 2024/2025 Service Year is “Inspire, Involve, Innovate”. We will Inspire members to give their best in all areas of Lions service and open our doors and arms to Involve every Lion in the District because togetherness is needed to achieve greater results in service delivery. We shall subsequently Innovate to improve our output. Innovations will be introduced in our administration and service activities during the year. All these are aimed at greater efficiency and impactful service and these will enable us to ‘Make a Mark’. The four priority areas of our work will be pursued; Membership growth and Mission 1.5, Service, Leadership
Development and support to Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF).

Membership and Mission 1.5

The LCI-led Mission 1.5 programme is to grow our membership to 1.5 million globally by the 1st of July 2027. For the 2024/25 service year, D418 has been given a target to charter seven (7) new Clubs, a membership increase of 259 and a net growth of 21.

This means that while we grow membership we will also need to close the back door so that as many as 238 members do not slip through. This figure looks ambitious but it is attainable. “Let’s Make a Mark! Yes we will”.

Our current membership is over 1250. We pray that the almighty June drops will not happen this year so that we close the year with a membership far above the cut-off point of 1250. We shall have to maintain this figure and improve on it for one year to enable us to be granted full District status. I congratulate the Clubs’ Boards of
Directors, Membership Chairpersons and members for growing our membership.

Membership growth is our collective responsibility. It lies in the hands of all of us, to put in measures to retain and to recruit quality members. The Association depends on people to carry out service, lead and donate to LCIF. Membership growth will be given the utmost attention. In the same vein, existing members will be retained by listening to their concerns and finding ways to satisfy them so they actualise why they became Lions in the first instance.

Leadership Development

Various leadership training options will be introduced to empower Lions at all levels to serve better. Lions and Leos who self-study at the Lions Learning Centre for specified periods will be rewarded. Additional affordable in-person training opportunities will also be introduced. We desire to offer training to every Lion and Leo on the workings of our Association and the rights and responsibilities of membership to enable Lions to become more knowledgeable.

Service Activities

Quality and Impactful Service will be on our front burner. Project scoping will be given more attention since impactful activities depend on community engagements. We will seek the indulgence of Clubs to involve the community in the planning and execution of projects so that the community will own and maintain them when completed.

The District may launch each of the 8 global causes with an activity depending on the availability of funds. Clubs would be invited to participate in and report without making any financial contribution. Service reporting will be pursued rigorously as an unreported project is the same as an unexecuted project in the LCI scoring scheme.

Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF)

The good Book says when you give bountifully you receive bountifully, which is similar to the strategy LCI is pursuing now. When a District contributes to LCIF and applies for a grant, its contribution would be looked at to determine whether to consider the application or not or how much can be given. Every District is given a target amount to contribute annually by LCIF. In the current service year, I understand our target is $25,000. The target for 2024/2025 is higher with an additional 10% increase on the current target. We shall therefore put together structures and plans, especially aggressive marketing strategies at the individual Club level considering the country’s prevailing unstable foreign exchange market. “Let’s Make a Mark! Yes, we will”. We will achieve our target.

Marketing & Visibility

Lions Clubs International is still not well recognized in our country as expected. Unfortunately, we are known sometimes for unfavourable reasons. This is worrisome after it’s been around in the country for 38 years now. To improve our visibility and image, we shall embark on rigorous marketing of the Association through various means including partnerships with the media.

Strong Structures for District 418

We are aware that D418 is an arm of Lions Clubs International, before voluntarily joining the Association. During our induction whether as charter members or new members, we all pledged to abide by the rules and regulations of the global Association passed down to us. These rules and regulations are what have guided the Association through its 107 years into a strong and organised Association that we are all proud to belong to. We shall therefore be guided by the various levels of the Lions Clubs International Constitutions, rules and regulations, principles and procedures, as well as the Board Policy Manual in all our day-to-day Lions’ activities and
actions. The Lions Mission, Purpose and Objectives will also be respected. We are all expected to be Lions with integrity and so we will all uphold the Code of Ethics of our dear Association. My Team and I will not undermine our Constitution and By-laws that we have sworn to uphold. As stated categorically at the District Governor-Elects’ Seminar in St Charles in February 2024, the District Governor is required to uphold the Constitution and enforce all Rules and Policies set out by LCI at the District level. I will do so dutifully as I would not want to go down in history as the District Governor who did not respect the Constitution and Policies that gave
her the authority to occupy the position.

We will ensure that the rules are applied to all. Lion leaders will be urged to set good examples for the younger Lions. Policies that will remind us of what we should do, will be put together and sent to Clubs for distribution to individual members. The bad eggs among us who tarnish our image and credibility in the public and within our fold will be called to order with the appropriate LCI sanctions. We cannot belong to a body where we will pick and choose what we wish to do out of the totality of expectations. We can only achieve excellent results when we approach what we do with discipline and good.

One important issue that most of us dismiss is the lack of support for Club leaders in office. Most often only a few members are burdened with the administrative and service activities of the Club. This leaves the leaders exhausted and so when their term ends, they go to sleep and the cycle continues. We plead with Club members for a change for the better as the current situation does not allow the Clubs and the District to be strong. We all joined to serve together. Let us therefore serve together but in different capacities annually.

We should always remember that the District structure consists of Clubs. Without members, there will be no Clubs and without Clubs, there will be no members, nor Presidents, Zone Chairpersons, District Officers or District Governors. We will lead, consult and direct and not lord it over Clubs and members. We, the District leadership and the Clubs, will grow the District together as it belongs to us all and we have a responsibility to nurture the District into one with a firm and strong foundation.

Leos

Leos today are the Lions of tomorrow; others say ‘the future of Lions is the Leos’. Leo Clubs are an activity of Lions and this is why sponsoring Clubs pay the Leos’

LCI dues annually. To this end, while working with and training them to become good leaders, we will also guide them to abide by the Constitution. Lions are Lions and Leos are Leos. To have quality Lions in future, we will need to bring in quality young people as Leos, ensuring that the existing ones are of good quality and their roles and responsibilities spelt out for them. Entrepreneurship training will be offered to those interested. Over-aged Leos and those gainfully employed will be encouraged to form Leo-Lion Clubs.

Partnerships

In this age of scarce resources, strong long-term partnerships which are mutually beneficial are the answer for development. Long-lasting partnerships will be sought for our global causes with companies and organisations whose modes of business are in line with our causes. For example, pharmaceutical companies will be identified to support our health-related causes.

Other partnerships to support the administrative, media and logistic needs of the District will also be sought. We will be knocking on the doors of several companies and organisations and we will be glad to receive support from Lions who are closely related to such companies to lead or introduce us.

Conclusion

Fellow Lions, let us put all hands on deck to build our District and serve the underprivileged more effectively as we have come together to do. Let us exceed what we have so far achieved. “Let’s Make a Mark! Yes we will”.

I thank you

Long Live, District 418,
Long Live, Constitutional Area 8B,
Long Live, Lions Clubs International,
Lions ……We Serve, Leos…….We Serve