With unusual heartfelt sincerity, the Acting Executive Director of the Complementary Education Agency (CEA), Hon. Daniel K. Asiamah, on Tuesday urged newly appointed Acting Regional Directors to embrace a leadership ethos grounded in humility, love, and unity as they prepare to steer Ghana’s transformational education mission.
Speaking before his formal opening address at the orientation retreat in Accra, Hon. Asiamah set aside bureaucratic convention and instead offered a moral charge he described as essential for anyone who will lead teams and serve vulnerable populations across the country.
He began with a simple but symbolic act: the importance of greeting, touching hearts, and acknowledging the humanity of staff. “When you get to your office, shake the hand of your staff. Let them feel you. That is leadership,” he said.
In one of the most humbling moments of the morning, the Executive Director introduced his two deputies, an act he noted they “should have done for him,” but which he took upon himself as a demonstration of servant leadership. “I am their servant. I am your servant,” he told the room.
Hon. Asiamah’s message cantered on a recurring plea: “Love everybody, hate nobody.”
He warned against leadership styles rooted in intimidation, division, or fear, saying such behaviour contradicts the core values of the Agency and will not be tolerated under his administration.
“I don’t want staff anywhere feeling pressure because a Regional Director is coming. That is not leadership,” he cautioned, adding that: “If I hear reports of divide-and-rule tactics, I will not hesitate to make changes.”
He reminded the directors that their positions exist not for power or prestige, but for service, especially to the “downtrodden,” whom the Agency is mandated to support through second-chance education, functional literacy, remedial programmes, and occupational skills development.
“This position is not for political points or power points. No, no, no,” he stressed, noting that: “We are the downtrodden. We want people to hear our cry. We want people to see us delivering people who are downtrodden.”
Drawing a sharp contrast between genuine service and the abuse of authority, the Executive Director said CEA must embody a culture of empathy and hard work. He described the agency as “a family of love, understanding, hard work, empathy, and candour,” and said anyone who does not reflect those values does not belong.
He urged the directors to model themselves after the Minister of Education, whom he described as a figure of integrity and servant leadership. “Ask yourself: Are you living your life like him? If you are not, you are not welcome into this family.”
Hon. Asiamah reminded the directors that CEA’s work touches the lives of individuals often forgotten by the mainstream system; school dropouts, teenage mothers, out-of-school youth, adult learners, and marginalized groups seeking a second chance at dignity through education.
“When you are leading such persons, the only trump card is to show love. Don’t go and transfer people because their nose is short or long. Don’t do that,” he said.
He encouraged the directors to forgive past grievances and build a united front for what he called the “reset agenda,” a drive to reposition the Agency as a pillar of inclusive education.
Hon. Asiamah said his greatest desire is for the country to look at the performance of this new cohort of regional leaders and say: “Wow, this crop of leaders has changed the Complementary Education Agency.”
That, he said, is the scorecard that matters, not bureaucracy, not power struggles, but impact and transformation.
“If you have any bad blood, forgive. Let us move forward. Love for all, hatred for none. That is how we build a future.”
As the retreat continues, his words set a tone of humility, unity, and moral clarity, offering a profound reminder that leadership, at its core, is not about authority, but about humanity.
