OGUAA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL HONOURS COL BENARSKO (PAGE 22)

ANY nation that does not honour her heroes is not worth dying for, so goes the saying.
It was in this vein that the Oguaa Traditional Council honoured Colonel Frank George Bernasko (retd), to acknowledge his invaluable contribution towards the socio-economic development of Cape Coast.
Col. Bernasko, 78, known for his shrewd and strict discipline, served the Central Region as the Regional Commissioner in the era of the National Redemption Council (NRC) in 1972 and as Commissioner of Agriculture in 1973 and later as the Commissioner for Cocoa Affairs in 1975.
A citation signed by the Omanhen of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, described Col. Bernasco as a dedicated, selfless and disciplined person who worked tirelessly for the socio-economic development of the region as well as the country.
It continued that he would be remembered for his agricultural initiative “Operation Feed Yourself” (OFY), which was accepted as a national agricultural policy aimed at boosting food production and sufficiency when he was the Commissioner for Agriculture.
His administration also helped in inculcating the spirit of voluntarism in the youth, who engaged in communal work and clean-up exercises to improve health and sanitation in Cape Coast, as well as agricultural projects nation-wide.
The Dawhenya Irrigation Project and others under his agricultural revolution led to bumper harvests and the hosting of the first national agricultural show in 1974.
Apart from the improvement in the health and educational sectors, Col. Bernasko also promoted the tourism industry in the region.
In civilian life, he took up private legal practice, venturing into politics by forming the Action Congress Party (ACP) in 1979. It won 12 seats in the Parliament of the Third Republic.
As a member and chief patron of the Oguaa Akoto Association (UK), Col. Bernasko has been actively involved in all initiatives taken to develop Cape Coast, especially in education.
Born on December 7, 1930, Colonel Bernasko had his basic education in Cape Coast and Asante Mampong before attending Adisadel College from where he attended the University of Gold Coast (now University of Ghana).
After a stint as a teacher in that institution, “Uncle Berna” as he was affectionately called, enlisted in the Ghana Armed Forces and served as officer in charge of education at the Armed Forces Recruit Training Centre in Kumasi.
He also served as the Director of Studies of the Ghana Military Academy and Training School and later as the Director of Education of the Ghana Armed Forces.
In his acceptance speech, Col. Bernasko commended those who supported him for his success in those turbulent days.
He also called on people from the region to contribute their quota towards its development.
Col. Bernasco noted with regret that Cape Coast was now sinking and expressed the hope that efforts would be made by the chiefs and people to restore it to its past glory.
Osabarima Kwesi Atta commended Col. Bernasko for his forthrightness, dedication and discipline, which raised the image of Cape Coast and the country in the mid and the late 1970s.