Michael Akpan of BDO Inc responds to President Koroma’s call
Michael Akpan, the President and CEO of Brookland Development Organization, Incorporated (BDO, Inc.) is currently in Sierra Leone, not only to celebrate Sierra Leone’s 50th Independence Anniversary, but also to finalize modalities on the activities of BDO, Inc.
BDO, Inc., is a registered 501C organization in the USA and in Sierra Leone. The organization was formed for the exclusive purpose of partnering with philanthropic organizations and consolidating charitable contributions. The organization has primarily focused on healthcare, health education, youth development and any other activities that could benefit the people of Sierra Leone. (Photo: Mr. Michael Akpan)
Empowering the citizens of Sierra Leone to sustain themselves is a key function of BDO, Inc. BDO’s primary statutory mandate is to harness all resources within reach to assist and empower young people in an effort to reduce their social problems and increase their productivity and standards of living. BDO will implement its philanthropic agenda through the cooperation, assistance and donations secured from other associations, organizations, groups or individuals. The organization’s president Michael Akpan is a Sierra Leonean with a high profile and investor contacts in the USA and around the world.
BDO, Inc. signed an agreement with the government of Sierra Leone on June 5th 2008. The organization was formed in response to President Koroma’s call to all Sierra Leoneans to go home and help rebuild the country. Mr. Michael Patrick Akpan recently took an early retirement package from a high profile US Federal Employment to dedicate more of his time in the progress and development of Sierra Leone through BDO Inc. Michael informed this press that after he registered the organization he realized that his work here in America did not provide him ample time to focus on BDO activities in Sierra Leone. “For that reason, I took an early retirement package to concentrate on the activities of BDO,” he said.
Michael Akpan attended St. Edwards and St. Anthony Primary Schools, and the Njala University College from 1967 to 1970 where he graduated with a Higher Teachers Certificate. Mike Akpan as he is popularly known, attended Brescia University (Owensboro, Kentucky) from 1972-1975 where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education (minoring in Economics). He attended Howard University (Washington, DC) where he studied Urban Economics from 1976 to 1977.
In 1994, he graduated with a Master of Science degree in Health Care Administration from the University of Maryland University College (College Park). Mike was not satisfied with acquiring more knowledge until he obtained a MBA in Human Resources Management in 2007 from the University of Phoenix. He started his career as a teacher at his own St. Anthony Primary School in 1967. By 1970, Mike was teaching at the Services Secondary School at Juba, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Between 1971 to 1972 Mike served his last teaching job at the Rokel Secondary School, Tower Hill Freetown.
From 1989 to 1994, Mike worked as an Insurance Analyst for American Insurance Group (Health) in Washington DC, where he was later promoted to Lead Health Insurance Examine and Contract Specialist. For 10 years, Mike Akpan worked for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Washington DC, from 1999 -2009. He served as Federal Personnel Systems Administrator and Benefits Officer, Overseas Private Investment Corporations from 2009 to 2010.
With the wide-range of experience and education of Michael. Akpan and the dedicated BDO Board Members, they poised and focused on taking developmental projects to Sierra Leone. From healthcare, education, agriculture, aviation or any other of Sierra Leone needs, BDO, Inc. is interested. The organization is currently working with one Mr. Ingo Blondal who leads a team of several aviation and tourism experts in Phoenix Arizona, USA. The team of experts has decided to launch several projects in West Africa. Mike Akpan and his BDO, Inc team have persuaded the aviation experts to make Sierra Leone their first stop in their West Africa investments and philanthropic efforts.
The aviation experts are interested in reviving the aviation and tourism sectors in Sierra Leone. “We understand that it would be an ambitious undertaking, which will require the support of both the Sierra Leone government as well as private individuals who could and would derive benefits from a healthy aviation and tourism industry in your country,” Mr. Ingo Blondal said to this press.
“BDO plans to identify communities and regions in Africa where the organization can help alleviate the suffering of local inhabitants who lack health care and are illiterate or have limited education. BDO initially identified the Brookfields area where it will pursue its objectives of improving the living conditions of local inhabitants,” Mike Akpan president of BDO said. He revealed that the region’s population is about 25,000 people who reside around the Brookfields and New England Ville area of Freetown. When asked why he selected that area, he said, “charity begins at home, I was born and raised in the Brookfields and New England Ville areas of Freetown”
“BDO plans to engage members of the local community to participate in planning, implementing and maintenance of activities that BDO envisions will raise income levels and expand employment opportunities for the less fortunate members of the community, particularly the youth, women and others living below the poverty line.” Maurice Kessebeh, one of BDO’s Board Members and resident of Maryland USA, said.
Maurice Kessebeh also said that the organization will be fully transparent and accountable to the public. He informed this press that BDO will endeavor to ensure that contributions made to the organizations will be used for the projects they are meant for and that were identified in existing materials produced by BDO Inc. He reiterated that all donations will be under the exclusive control of the entire board membership who will ensure every single penny is well spent. “We are a fully transparent and accountable organization,” he concluded.
The BDO team is made up of
Michael Akpan, President and CEO Mr. Edie Akpan, Vice PresidentOther Board Members of the BDO are
Mrs. Carleen Townsend-Akpan Theopilus Maurice Kessebeh Mrs. Odelia Lavally Mrs. Teresa T. Ofong Raymond Scott-Manga, and Mrs. Antoinette Taqi-KamaraThis press will soon bring you more current information on the BDO activities currently underway as President Mike Akpan puts modalities in place in Sierra Leone.
– Unisa Thorlu Conteh, BDO, Inc PRO, aka M.C. Hammer of Boston, Massachusetts contributed to this report.
Submitted by Foday Morris, Daily Mail
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