Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta

Aaron Eugene Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta, MP (12 December 1912 – July 1978) was a Ghanaian educator, lawyer and politician who served as the fourth Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana.[1]

The Right Honourable Aaron Eugene Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta MP
4th Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana
In office 10 June 1965 – 22 February 1966
President	Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by	Joseph Richard Asiedu
Succeeded by	Parliament suspended
Personal details
Born	12 December 1912 Kibi, Gold Coast
Died	July 1978 (aged 65) Accra, Ghana
Nationality	Ghanaian
Other political affiliations	Convention People's Party
Parents	Ofori Atta I Agnes Akosua Dodua
Relatives	William Ofori-Atta (brother) Susan Ofori-Atta (sister) Adeline Akufo-Addo (sister) Kwesi Amoako-Atta (brother) Jones Ofori Atta (brother)
Occupation	Educator Lawyer

Early life and education

He was born on 12 December 1912 at Kyebi, Akyem Abuakwa and was a member of the Ofori-Atta royal family. After elementary school he entered Mfantsipim School in 1925 and later left in 1928 to join Achimota School where he completed his secondary education in 1933. He served in various capacities at the Abuakwa State College and was made the school's Vice Principal and later Principal from 1944 to 1947. Later in 1947, he left for Ireland and entered Trinity College Dublin where he obtained his B.A degree in law and a diploma in public administration.[2]

Career

Ofori-Atta was elected MP for Abuakwa Central and Begoro Constituencies. He first entered parliament house in 1954 and was appointed minister for communication from 1954 to 1956.[3] He beat a relative, J. B. Danquah, member of the Ghana Congress Party and a founding member of the defunct United Gold Coast Convention to the Akim Abuakwa Central seat.[4] He was a Minister for Local Government in the Convention People's Party (CPP) government of Kwame Nkrumah in the first government of Ghana.[5] He also served as the Minister for Justice in the same government.[6]

He was later appointed Speaker of Parliament on 10 June 1965 in the First Republic of Ghana.[7] He remained speaker until parliament was suspended by the National Liberation Council, formed after the coup d'état that ended the First Republic. He died at Accra Military Hospital in 1978.[8] Ofori-Atta is the uncle of Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana.[6]

Death

He died in July 1978 in Accra.

Notes

1. Ernest Nee Pobee Sowah, Report of the Sowah Commission..., Volume 2, Ministry of Information, Ghana, 1968, p. 23.
2. Ernest Nee Pobee Sowah, Report of the Sowah Commission..., Volume 2, Ministry of Information, Ghana, 1968, p. 23.
3. "Ghana bar bulletin". Ghana Bar Association. 1988: 111. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
4. Dokosi, Michael (10 June 2018). "The electoral victories and shock losses of the 1954 Gold Coast election". BlakkPepper.com. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
5. "1957 Govt. of Ghana". Photo diary. Ghana Home Page. Archived from the original on 22 April 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
6. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. "HOMAGE TO THE MEMORY OF OSAGYEFUO KUNTUNKUNUNKU II, OKYENHENE". Kuntunkununku Tributes. Prempeh College alumni. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
7. "Rt. Hon. Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes:Speakers of Parliament from 1951 – 2005". Official website of the Parliament of Ghana. Parliament of Ghana. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
8. Ghana Year Book, Graphic Corporation, Ghana, 1978.