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Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, has been named winner of this year�s prestigious Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Africa Leadership Award, an annual award conferred on persons with exceptional leadership qualities and track record by West Africa International, a leading sub-regional magazine. The Minister received the award at this year�s International Conference on Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, held at Novotel Hotel in Accra, last Friday. A citation accompanying the award indicated that Aljahi Mumuni was nominated for the award in recognition of his exceptional track record as a politician who has served his nation in both the executive and legislative arms of government and remains a role model for people raised from poor backgrounds and also the children and youth from Northern Ghana. �Hon. Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, you were a member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland (1999-2001) and President of the 87th Session of the International Labour Conference of the ILO in June 1999. In June 1998, you were the Vice-President of the 86th Session of the International Labour Conference and also leader of the National Tripartite Delegation to the International labour Conference (85th to 88th Sessions). In those same years (1997-2000), you were appointed Minister of Employment and Social Welfare (Cabinet Rank) and currently you are Ghana�s Minster of Foreign Affairs,� the minister�s citation contained. The citation also acknowledged Alhaji Mumuni�s role in parliament where he served for two four-year terms as Member of Parliament for the Kumbungu constituency and was the ranking member of the House�s Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Committee; Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee and Member of the Standing Orders Committee. In his acceptance speech, the Foreign Affairs Minister thanked the organisers for the honour done him. Alhaji Mumuni eulogised Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as the foremost Pan-Africanist and the pioneer trail-blazer of the Africa continental integration agenda. He said every effort that will help hold aloft, the vision, philosophy and ideology of Dr. Nkrumah should be commended by all, stressing that �this is why His Excellency, President John Evans Mills, has initiated a move to duly recognise the nation�s founder and African of the Millennium.� The Minister said as a boy born to a poor, illiterate peasant family in a deprived community in Northern Ghana, he could not have dreamt of going to school let alone having university education, if not because of the visionary policies of Dr. Nkrumah that was aimed at equalising opportunities for all Ghanaians whether poor or rich. Consequently, the Minister dedicated the award to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as well as all underprivileged and the poor in Ghana. Other award winners at this year�s event included the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. (rtd) J. H. Smith, who was awarded for his outstanding service in Ghana�s military and his continuous contribution to Ghana�s development as the nation�s defence Minister after his retirement from military service. Previous recipients of West Africa International�s �Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Awards,� include Prof. Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State; Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, former Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital; Prof. Agyeman Badu-Akosa, Former Director General of Ghana Health Service, Alhaji Asoma Banda, Chairman of Antrak Airlines and member of the Council of State; and businessman, Dr. Butler Aggrey.