Joseph Kofi Adda

Joseph Kofi Kowe Adda (born 22 April 1956) was a Member of Parliament in Ghana and also the Minister for Aviation in the New Patriotic Party government under President Akufo-Addo until January 2021. He is also a Financial Economist and a Management Consultant. He is the immediate past Minister for Aviation.[1]

Joseph Kofi Adda
Minister for Aviation
In office 2018–2021
President	Akufo-Addo
Member of Parliament for Navrongo Central
In office March 2003 – January 2013
Preceded by	John Achuliwor
Succeeded by	Mark Woyongo
Minister for Energy
In office 28 April 2006 – 2008
President	John Kufuor
Preceded by	Aaron Mike Oquaye
Succeeded by	Felix Owusu-Adjapong
Member of Parliament for Navrongo Constituency
In office 7 January 2005 – 6 January 2009
President	John Kufuor
Personal details
Born	22 April 1956 Navrongo, Ghana
Nationality	Ghanaian
Political party	New Patriotic Party
Children	2
Alma mater	Indiana Wesleyan University Columbia University St. John's School, Sekondi
Profession	Financial Economist Management Consultant

Early life and education

Joseph Adda was born at Navrongo, the capital of the Kassena-Nankana District in the Upper East Region of Ghana.[2] He had his secondary education at St. John's School, Sekondi and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in politics and economics from the Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Indiana, United States, which he attended between 1979 and 1982. Between 1982 and 1984, he was at Columbia University, New York, where he studied for a Master's degree in International Affairs, specialising in Finance and Banking.[3] He went on to get a graduate certificate in African Studies from the same university. In 1989, he obtained a certificate in French language and civilization from the Sorbonne University, Paris, France.[2]

Career

Joseph Adda is a Financial Economist and a Management Consultant.[4] He worked as an Executive officer at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana in 1979. Between 1983 and 1984, he worked as a Research Analyst intern at the Third World Trade Institute, New York, USA. Over the next two years, he was an account Executive and Management trainee at the Equitable Financial Service, Inc., in New Jersey, USA. Mr. Adda has also worked at Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, USA (1986 – 1988), Thomson McKinnon Securities Inc., New York (1989 – 1991) and with Deloitte and Touche Consulting, (West Africa), Accra (1991 – 1994). Since 1994, Joseph Adda has been the Director of Omni Consulting International (Ghana) Ltd.[3] Between 1996 and 2000, he worked in various capacities at the Ministry of Finance, Ghana.[2] He is the Minister for Aviation. He took the leadership of the ministry in 2018.[1]

Politics

Adda first became a Member of Parliament in 2003. He won the by-election for the Navrongo Central constituency after the death of the incumbent, John Achuliwor.[5] He retained his seat in the 2004 parliamentary election. He was appointed the Minister for Manpower Development and Employment by President John Kufuor in 2005.[6] On 28 April 2006, he was moved in a cabinet reshuffle to the position of Minister for Energy.[7] He was later replaced by Felix Owusu-Adjapong as Minister of Energy by President Kuffuor. Joe Adda retained his seat when the NPP lost the general elections in 2008. He however lost the seat in the 2012 elections to Mark Woyongo.[8]

Cabinet Minister

In May, 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo named Joseph Kofi Adda as part of nineteen ministers who would form his cabinet.[9] The names of the 19 ministers were submitted the Parliament of Ghana and announced by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Prof. Mike Ocquaye.[9] As a Cabinet minister, Joseph Kofi Adda is part of the inner circle of the president and is to aid in key decision making activities in the country.[9]

Elections

Adda was elected as the member of parliament for the Navrongo Central constituency of the Upper East Region of Ghana in the 2004 Ghanaian general elections.[10][11][12] He won on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party.[12][10] His constituency was a part of the 2 parliamentary seats out of 13 seats won by the New Patriotic Party in that election for the Upper East Region.[13] The New Patriotic Party won a majority total of 128 parliamentary seats out of 230 seats.[14] He was elected with 12,444 votes out of 31,657 total valid votes cast.[10][12] This was equivalent to 39.3% of total valid votes cast.[10][12] He was elected over Gabriel Pwamang of the Peoples’ National Convention, Andema Emmanuel of the National Democratic Congress, Azantinlwo Anemana Jennifer Grace of the Convention People's Party, Bagonia Grace of the Democratic People's Party, Donald Amuah and Achuliwor A. Otito Werseh both independent candidates.[10][12] These obtained 6,512, 6,201, 140, 83, 2,262 and 4,015 votes respectively out of the total valid votes cast.[10][12] These were equivalent to 20.6%, 19.6%, 0.4%, 0.3%, 7.1% and 12.7% respectively of total valid votes cast.[10][12]

Personal life

Adda is married with two children.[3] He is a Christian.[15] He is a Catholic.[3]

External links

• Profile on Ghana government website

References

1. "LCB has no contract with Ghana Airports Company - Minister". MyJoyOnline.com. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
2. "Minister for Energy". Profile of ministers. Ghana government. Archived from the original on 15 April 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
3. "Ghana MPs - MP Details - Adda, Joseph Kofi". 6 May 2016. Archived from the original on 6 May 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
4. "Hon. Joseph Kofi Kowe Adda (NPP) (Navrongo Central)". Upper East Region - Members of Parliament - Profile. GhanaDistricts.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
5. "NPP retains Navrongo seat". Politics of Wednesday, 26 March 2003. Ghana Home Page. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
6. "Twenty-nine Ministers sworn into office". General News of Wednesday, 2 February 2005. Ghana Home Page. Retrieved 5 May 2007.
7. "Kufuor restructures ministerial team". General News of Friday, 28 April 2006. Ghana Home Page. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
9. FM, Citi. "Arts Minister Catherine Afeku makes it to Cabinet". ghanaweb.com. ghanaweb. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
10. Elections 2004; Ghana's Parliamentary and Presidential Elections. Accra: Electoral Commission of Ghana; Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. 2005. p. 186.
11. Elections 2004; Ghana's Parliamentary and Presidential Elections. Accra: Electoral Commission of Ghana; Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. 2005. p. 184.
12. Peace FM. "Ghana Election 2004 Results - Navrongo Constituency". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
13. "Statistics of Presidential and Parliamentary Election Results". Fact Check Ghana. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
14. Peace FM. "Ghana Election 2004 Results - President". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
15. Ghana Parliamentary Register, 2004-2008. Ghana: The Office of Parliament. 2004. p. 83.