By Lion David Owusu Anokye (PMJF)

The Guest of Honour, Honourable Dan Kwaku Botwe, Minister of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, The Coordinating Lion of D418, Past International Director H.O.B. Lawal, PCC Lion Sam Ekpuk, GAT Area Leader C8B, IPDG Lion Helen Maku Obeng (PMJF), PDG Lion (Dr.) Kwaku Mensa Bonsu (PMJF), District Governor Elect Lion Emmanuel Kojo Gyimah, Second Vice District Governor Lion Kate Baaba Hudson (PMJF), District Cabinet Members, Honourable Chiefs, Invited Guests, Club Presidents, Lions and Leos, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen and Members of the Media.

We started the service year in July 2021 hoping that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that shook the foundations of our organization and brought the world to a standstill temporarily will be drastically reduced and life will be brought to normalcy.

However, the Omicron virus (variant of COVID-19) is here with us with an alarming rate of infection threatening our very lives with the tendency of eroding our modest gains. May all of us stay safe for the rest of the service year and beyond. In spite of all these challenges, we have recorded incredible successes in several key areas of our operations

Let me quote Dr. Albert Schweitzer and link it to that of Melvin Jones “He who has received in abundance should feel invited to give to the one who
cannot afford. He whose suffering has been alleviated should feel invited to alleviate that of others”.

And to link that of Albert Schweitzer’s quote to Melvin Jones, the founder of LCI “you can’t get very far unless you start doing something for somebody else”. This is what Lionism is all about. According to Dr. Albert Schweitzer – The love you give others enlightens the path of those who walk in darkness. This again is what Lionism is all about (we are proud to be Lions, Dedicated to the service of others). Let us all give thanks to the Almighty for this service year, and the mercies He has shown us to assemble here.

Our mission for this assembly is to give a vivid account of my stewardship to D418 and again to inaugurate the DGE as the DG effective 1st July, 2022.

Vision

As stated at my inaugural ceremony last service year, I pledged to align with the LCI’s vision since LCI is a structured organization. In
line with that we had our 2021-2022 Global Priorities and my own mantra of making Provisional D418 a fully-fledged district.

With these priorities and the mantra in mind, we set off to strengthen our service impact through membership growth, leadership development and the support of our global foundation. I therefore built an effective team which inspired unified vision and created a realistic plan that paved way for district excellence and a full-fledged district.

Membership, Growth and Engagement

Though we could not achieve our club development target of 10 clubs, we could do 4 clubs with 5 more clubs outstanding at Koforidua, Akosombo, Akatsi, Techiman and Asamankese. The 4 clubs chartered brought our clubs to 41.

Our membership also grew from 1,006 from last service year to 1,262 as at the last count this service year. From the above data of 41 clubs and a membership of 1,262, we have now crossed the bridge of 1,250 and 35 clubs to become a full-fledged district – awaiting the announcement from
LCI. During the year under review, D418 was also designated as a Global Membership Approach (GMA) pilot district in Africa. Again, no club in our district has been cancelled and we recorded a whopping 85% membership reporting at my LCI.

Service

The growth of D418 means we are always ready to serve. We have scored many successes this year including recording 96% club reporting and being the second highest on the African Continent. Again, 1.80 million beneficiaries have benefited from our service activities and this represent a 100% increase from the last service year. To crown it all, we have received $ 97,506.00 grant from LCIF for our Childhood Cancer Project at Agogo in the Asante Akyem area. Furthermore, we signed a partnership agreement with PZ Cussons to raise GH¢250,000.00 through the promotion and sale of Carmel Antiseptic.

Leadership

The District continued the leadership training for members. The District hosted two Lions Leadership Institutes, i.e. The Faculty Development Institute (FDI) and the Advanced Lions Leadership Institute (ALLI) this lions Service Year. There is also a Regional Lions Leadership Institute to be held in May this year. Most Lions are also doing courses at the Learning Centre at LCI.

For the first time, Club Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers etc. including the Leos trainings were not only held in Accra but in other regions as well ie. Kumasi and Takoradi.

LCIF

The target for the D418 is $30,000.00. We are gradually getting there; as at the time of writing we are just $3,000.00 less to hit the target of $30,000.00. I am however, assured by the LCIF Chairperson that, we shall definitely hit the target by the close of the service year.

LEOS

Leos and the youth are special to me. I intentionally added Youth Camp and Exchange to that of the Leos Club Chairperson to synchronize the energies of both the Leos and the youth.

This service year, two Leo Clubs have received their charter and these Leo Clubs are Accra Platinum Leo Club and Koforidua U-Tech Leo Club. There are two more in the pipeline ie. Kumasi U-Tech Leo Club and Ho U-Tech Leo Club.

Fellow Lions, please indulge me to pronounce on something that is gradually creeping into the fabric of Lionism ie. indiscipline and disrespect. I will urge my successor to try as much as possible to nip the indiscipline and disrespect in the bud.

Senior, DGE Emmanuel Kojo Gyimah, you and I are from the Suban Ne Nimdie stock. I will be there for you and I expect you to take D418 a notch higher than I am leaving it. I trust you senior.

Please allow me to express my greatest gratitude to the Coordinating Lion, Lion Engr. H.O.B. Lawal, Past International Director and PCC Lion Sam Ekpuk, Area Leader C8B. who have been strong pillars of support for our infant District in achieving a full-fledged District.

Let me again, congratulate the Cabinet Members, Club Presidents, Lions, Leo Presidents and Leos for your hard work, strong leadership and the tremendous growth that have led us to achieve our mantra of full-fledged district. Thank you once again.

Thank you all for a memorable time with you. I am proud of you all. May the Almighty richly bless us all!

Long live D418
Long live Lions Clubs International
Lions, we serve
Leos, we serve