UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Written by her children
Celebrating Margaret Akanbang at 60!
Education
Born on 3rd October 1963 to Baba Akanbang Adeboro and Mme Akanposinba, both of blessed memory.
At the age of six, though her parents had not enrolled her in school, her curiosity pushed her to follow some schoolchildren to Ayieta Primary School, where she started her educational journey after convincing her older cousin to enrol her. When her father discovered she was in school, he initially resisted the idea due to his suspicions about modern education. Still, she convinced him early on that she wanted to be in school.
At the time, middle school had a four-year duration, but she was performing so well in school that her teachers allowed her and another form 1 student, Baba Musah, to write the common entrance exam to secondary school, which they both passed with flying colours. She gained admission to Bolgatanga Secondary School (Big Boss), where she attended for three years out of five years expected but had to stay at home for two years after she lost her brother, along with other family issues. She continued the last two years in Kanton Secondary School in Tumu, obtaining her O-level certificate in 1983.
Whilst awaiting her O-level certificate, she wrote and passed the entrance exam to St John Bosco Training College in Navrongo. This enabled her to start college before her Secondary School mates. Whilst in school, she excelled not only in academic work but also in sporting competitions like Basketball, Hockey, Shot-put and Javelin. She graduated in 1986.
The same year, she was posted as a teacher to her alma mater, Ayieta Primary School, assuming the duty of the primary six teacher. When the educational reform policy that introduced Junior High School started in 1987, she was moved to the newly formed Sandema Junior Secondary School as an English Language and Social Studies teacher where she taught for a year before later returning to Ayieta JSS. She taught English and Social studies for seven years, whilst acting as the assistant headmistress.
In 1995, she was moved to the newly formed Sandema Preparatory JHS as its first headmistress, acting as substitute teacher for English, Social Studies, Life skills and cultural studies during the period. She was awarded the GNAT best teacher for Builsa district at the end of 1995. Her pioneer class of Sandema Preparatory JSS had 28 candidates presented for the 1998 BECE, 12 of them had distinction and none got more than aggregate 18, a remarkable achievement at the time in Builsa District and a testament to the dedication of Madam Margaret and her staff.
In 1999, Madam Margaret’s yearning for more knowledge and self-development led her to enrol into the University of Education Winneba, where she continued her education, expanded her social network and explored the southern parts of Ghana. She particularly enjoyed the beaches of the Central Region. She graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Education Degree in English Language.
Upon graduation, she was posted to the Sandema Secondary Technical School, now Azantinlow Senior High Technical School, where she taught English Language for two years before transitioning to a Circuit Supervisor for GES, a role she held for eight years before being promoted to the rank of assistant director in charge of supervision for another four years. In 2006, she was awarded a GNAT best teacher award for the upper east region at the national award program. She later served as an assistant director in charge of finance and administration for 2 years. She was promoted to deputy director in charge of human resource in 2020, a role she held till her retirement on 3rd October 2023.
NGOs
• Committee member for the Community Action Plan for Bulsa District Assembly Programme under UNICEF (1995-1999):
Worked with Kandema community to implement a grain banking project, instrumental in ensuring food security for the community.
• She has been conducting HIV research for UNICEF since 2004.
Boards served on
• Board member for Builsa District Health Insurance Scheme (2005-2009)
• Planning committee member, population and housing census, contributing research for statistical department (2010, 2021)
• Board Member, Builsa Community Bank (2011-2017)
• Board Member, Radio Builsa (2008-Date)
Business
• Used her first salary to start grain banking in 1996, selling the produce to the Secondary Schools in 1987, a business she has continued till date.
• 1989 started a partnership with the late Mary Abagdem, mother to Dr Lynnette Abagdem which involved a moving push truck of goods like bowls, clothing, mattresses and tape recorders. Unfortunately, she lost her dear friend in 1991, so she had to change the business format, later involving Mr Bawa the Animal dealer from Kadema. In 1994, she purchased a kiosk, expanding the business.
When she left for university in 1999, she left the business for her nephew Timothy Akanpabadai to manage till he also left for school in 2000.
• When she returned from school in 2003, she continued the grain banking and in 2019, she ventured into the canopy and chair rental business till date.
Family Life
She grew up with her siblings and cousins in Agbong-yeri and has since been close to all of them and her cousins from her mother’s family house in Kori.
She married into the Awog-badek family and gave birth to three biological children but has raised more children to her name.
Anchored on her believe in education as an unlocker of opportunities, she committed herself to the education of her cousins, their children and distant relations. She did not only ensure that her nieces and nephews benefitted from education, she worked hard to ensure that they gained employment to enable them take care of themselves and their relations.
She is epitomized as a family-oriented woman who is always looking out for the goodness of her family members and distant relationships.
Social Networks
She has maintained a core network of friends who have been there for her and who she has leveraged upon to support her family and relations in diverse ways.
Madam Margaret Akanbang and her children Andreana, Marion and Darwin (all medical doctors) and her granddaughter