Round Table Ghana

CHARTERED in 1964 by GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND
CLOSED in the late 80s

The centre of the Round Table Ghana crest holds the RT logo surrounded by six black stars representing the six Tables that once existed in the African nation. The shape and image of the flag is from the Ghana Coat of Arms.

History

After setbacks, frustrations & disappointments during the preceding twelve months, the first Round Table club in Ghana, RT 1 Accra, was successfully inaugurated in 1963. Representing RTBI and the Sponsor Club was RT 500 Leicester De Montfort Chairman George Creese and extension Officer Howard Lawson, Both were received in true Round Table fashion by a delegation of prospective Accra Tablers, and it was soon evident that their efforts in sponsoring a Table in Ghana were not in vain.

The Inaugural Meeting was a splendid affair amidst the palatial surroundings of the magnificent Ambassador Hotel. There were 26 founder members (14 Ghanaian and 12 Expatriates) and 17 of these were present at the Meeting, together with three visiting Tablers and 40 official and personal guests. The number of founder members present represented an excellent turn-out bearing in mind that one of the major difficulties of Round Table in Ghana was the fact that many of the Tablers travel extensively abroad on business or on holidays.

The pre-dinner cocktails enabled Tablers and guests to mingle in a very convivial and informal atmosphere and it was evident that Accra Table had established good fellowship and seemed set for a wonderful future.

The enthusiasm of the Ghanaian Members of the Table was obvious, and the friendliness between them and the expatriate members was a clear indication of what can be achieved if the right spirit is adopted at the outset.

Most of the Ghanaian members wore their national kente robes and the setting was certainly the most colourful Table Meeting ever encountered by the visiting RTBI members. The Agenda followed, for the most part, the procedure used for RTBI extension, with Accra Tabler Tom Kerr acting as toastmaster and George Creese in the Chair, until handing over to Eric Morgan, the newly elected Chairman of RT 1 Accra. Officers elected were Eric W.Morgan, Chairman, Bernard Gogo, Vice-

Chairman, Hamish Hall, Secretary, Daniel Lartey, Treasurer, Harry Richardson and Sam Longden, Council Members, in the proportion of four Ghanaian Officers to two expatriates. Visiting RTBI tablers stayed a further five days in Ghana and they were treated to a sightseeing tour of the area. RT 1 Accra Tablers had prepared a comprehensive itinerary which included visits to the Achimoto School, Legon University, Aburi Botanical Gardens, the Akosombo Dam Site and the beach. On all of these visits members of RTBI were escorted by Ghanaian and ex-patriate Tablers and their wives who interspersed the planned itinerary with suitable pauses for refreshment.

The chartering ceremony of the first Round Table in Ghana took place a year later, on Monday, 23rd November 1964. The venue was the Presidential Suite of the Ambassador Hotel, Accra. RT 1 Accra consisted of thirty members, fourteen were Ghanaians and the rest expatriates. Present at the charter on behalf of the father table was Chairman of RT 316 Birmingham Moseley Bryan Hale. Bryan did the honours on behalf of RT 500 Leicester, and presented the Jewel to Accra Chairman, Eric Morgan and in doing so he paid tribute to the great work done by Eric in establishing the Table in Accra.

Part of ACART

In 1981 RT Ghana together with RT Ivory Coast, RT Nigeria and RT Sierra Leone created the Atlantic Coast Association of Round Tables (ACART). Mother Associations of this newly formed Association were RTBI and RT France.

How many years RT 1 Accra and RT Ghana remained active is unknown, but surely it was before the RT International re-charter of 1991.

Rondel

The centre of the Rondel includes a black five-pointed star. This is a symbol for African freedom and the African people. The star is found in the National flag and the Coat of Arms.