Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka Dies; Family Issues Statement

ACCRA, Sept. 14 (muzicgh.com) — Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka, the Ghanaian pastor, inventor and entrepreneur who founded the Kristo Asafo Mission and the Kantanka Group of Companies, has died, his family and church said in a statement on Sunday. He was 77.

The statement, signed by his daughter, lawyer and former legislator Sarah Adwoa Safo, said he “passed away peacefully” on Thursday, Sept. 11, and asked for privacy as relatives mourn. It added that burial and funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.

Safo, born in 1948, was widely known as “Kantanka” and celebrated by supporters as the “Star of Africa” for his advocacy of local industry and a practical, homegrown approach to technology. Through the Kristo Asafo Mission and a network of workshops and companies, he promoted the idea that Ghana could build and maintain its own tools, machines and vehicles.

Across decades of public life he combined ministry with manufacturing, philanthropy and training for young artisans. The Kantanka brand became a rallying point for backers of indigenous engineering, even as critics debated quality standards and the pace of scaling. Admirers say his biggest legacy is the confidence he instilled in a generation to design and build in Ghana.

The family tribute described him as a technological icon and industrialist whose resilience and conviction shaped his work. It cited Romans 14:8 and called on the public and media to respect the family’s privacy.

Reactions began to gather on Sunday from public figures and followers, reflecting his reach beyond church life into education, science and industry. Funeral details had not been released at the time of publication.

Safo is survived by children, relatives, church members and colleagues across the Kantanka businesses and the broader Kristo Asafo community.