The two awardees are the first Ghanaians to receive the National Order of Merit recognition
• Two Ghanaians have received the French National Order of Merit recognition
• It is the second-highest French order of merit award
• The awardees are Ms. Lillian Osae-Kwapong and Mr. Mawuli Ababio
Two Ghanaians have been recognized by the French government for their exemplary role in shaping the bilateral relationship between the two countries, the Daily Graphic has reported.
The recipients, Ms. Lillian Osae-Kwapong, an educationist, and Mr. Mawuli Ababio, an international financial expert were honoured by the French Ambassador to Ghana Mrs. Anne Sophie Ave in Accra.
The two awardees are the first Ghanaians to receive the National Order of Merit recognition.
The National Order of Merit is the second national Order after the Legion of Honor. Its purpose is to reward “distinguished merit” and encourage the lifeblood of the country.
The citation presented to Ms. Osae-Kwapong applauded her for her work with Alliance Française as well as the promotion of the French language and the Francophone world.
“You probably thought it would just be a hobby for a little while, but you ended up dedicating 39 years to this institution. You made it what it is today,” the French ambassador read.
Mrs. Ave noted that Ms. Osae-Kwapong “created the bilingual section as a secretariat, which trained professionals who now work for many organizations where being bilingual is an asset, with some working at the French Embassy, the French Development Agency (AFD), and some French companies in Ghana”.
She further said it was through Ms. Osae-Kwapong that the Alliance was relocated to its current place in 1994, adding that “no wonder you were the chairperson of the board of Alliance Française several times between 1999 and 2019”.
For his part, the citation said Mr. Mawuli Ababio “In 2000, became Vice-President of the France-Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GFCCI), the forerunner of the current Franco-Ghanaian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFG), until 2004”.
Mr. Ababio was also the Vice-President and Managing Partner of Phoenix Capital Management S.A., based in Abidjan, a private equity fund, and was also a facilitator of French economic diplomacy.
“And what’s more, how do you still find time to actively work with the Alliance Française since you kindly accepted, in 2019, to take over the chairmanship of the board after Lillian. And you still manage to thoroughly practice your golfing, travel the world, and enjoy your favourite cigars, among other hobbies,” Mrs. Ave enquired.