Papa Owusu-Ankomah

Papa Owusu-Ankomah is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. He is a founding member of the New Patriotic Party.[1][2] He served as Member of Parliament for the Sekondi constituency from 1996 to 2016[3]. In June 2017 Papa Owusu-Ankomah was appointed Ghana's High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland[4]. His tour of duty ended on 30 November 2020.[5][6][7][8] He has been called the Quiet Dynamo of Ghanaian politics. He met the Queen Elizabeth II when he was presenting his Letters of Credence at the Buckingham Palace in London.[9]

Papa Owusu-Ankomah
Owusu-Ankomah in 2017
  Member of Parliament
In office
January 1997 – January 2017
Preceded byAlbert Bosomtwi-Sam
Succeeded byEgyapa Mercer
ConstituencySekondi
Deputy Majority Leader and Deputy Minister for Government Business
In office
10 January 2001 – 30 July 2001
Minister for Youth and Sports
In office
August 2001 – September 2001
Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs
In office
October 2001 – March 2003
17th Attorney General of Ghana
In office
April 2003 – 3 February 2005
PresidentJohn Kufour
Preceded byNana Akufo-Addo
Succeeded byAyikoi Otoo
Minister for Interior
In office
11 January 2005 – 27 April 2006
Minister for Education, Science and Sports
In office
5 February 2006 – 2008
Personal details
Born (1958-04-27) 27 April 1958
 Sekondi, Western Region
Political partyNew Patriotic Party
Spouse(s)Mrs. Augustina Owusu-Ankomah
Children3
Alma mater
OccupationBarrister
Websitewww.papaowusuankomah.com

Early life

Owusu-Ankomah was born in Ghana on 27 April 1958 to a family of entrepreneurs in the retail and real estate industries in the Western Region. His father, the late Mr. Yaw Owusu-Ankomah, hailed from Atibie in the Kwahu District of the Eastern Region, while his mother, Madam Araba Owomoye Owusu-Ankomah - hails from Dixcove in the Western Region. Growing up in the cosmopolitan twin port cities of Sekondi-Takoradi, he lived in close proximity to the Zongo neighbourhood of Sekondi, and had the opportunity to make friends with a very broad range of Ghanaians.

Education

Owusu-Ankomah begun his early formal education in primary schools in Takoradi, from which he entered Mfantsipim School for his secondary education. At Mfantsipim School, he obtained the West African Examination Council's Advanced Level Examination certificate for entrance into University[10].

At the University of Ghana, Legon Papa Owusu-Ankomah studied law for his bachelor's degree. He graduated with an LL.B (Hons) 2nd Class Upper Division in 1979 proceeded to the Ghana School of Law, where he completed his professional studies in the Law in 1981. He was called to the Ghana Bar that same year.

Professional career

Owusu-Ankomah is a lawyer by profession. He served as the Attorney General of Ghana from 2003 to 2005. Prior to entering politics, he was the managing partner in the practice of Owusu-Ankomah, Amanquah & Co.

Party activism

Owusu-Ankomah was a founding member, and once served as the Chairman, of the Western Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), he was also a founding member of the Danquah-Busia Club and a member of the Western Regional Campaign team in 1992 and 1996. He was a member of the Publicity Committee of the Camp Board of the NPP for the 2000 elections, and from October 2001 to March 2003 he was the Chairman of the Communications Committee and a member of the National Steering Committee - which came up with the Positive Change slogan. He has been a member of the National Executive Committee of the NPP and a member of the National Council of the NPP since 1997. In 2006, he was a member of the National Campaign Board of the party.

Owusu polled 28,802 votes out of the 44,507 valid votes cast representing 53.80% over his opponents Albert Bosomtwi-Sam an NDC member who polled 14,990 votes and Anthony Ackah a PNC member who polled 715 votes during the 1996 Ghanaian General Elections.[11]

In the 2000 Elections, he polled 28,434 representing 67.60% over his opponents Anthony Richard Cudjoe an NDC member who polled 11,661 votes representing 27.70%, Charles Van Dyck a CPP member who polled 1,223 votes representing 2.90% and Abu Seidu a PNC member who polled 759 votes representing 1.80%.[12]

He won the 2004 General election with 17,433 votes out of the 26,307 valid votes cast representing 66.30% over his opponents Betty Busumtwi-Dam an NDC member who polled 8,086 votes, Omar Ahmed Bekure a PNC member who polled 444 votes and Joe Victor Eghan a CPP member who polled 344 votes.[13]

He won again in 2008 with 13,005 votes out of the valid votes cast representing 55.41% over his opponents Betty Busumtwi-Sam who polled 9,578, Mrs Hildergard Krakue who polled 727 votes, Frederick Akor Larbi who polled 88 votes and Oliver Peter Vanderpuye-Orgle who polled 72 votes.[14]

Owusu-Ankomah has been a member of the Western Region NPP since its inception, he worked with founding members of the party, some of which include the late Mr. Stephen Krakue, to form a political party to contest the National Democratic Congress. In 1996, he won the Sekondi constituency seat on the ticket of the NPP and while he was in the opposition, he served as the shadow minister for Information.

Parliamentary career

When the New Patriotic Party won the 2000 Ghanaian General Election he was appointed Deputy Majority leader and later elected Majority leader in parliament.

While in parliament, Owusu-Ankomah served on a number of committees, some of which include; the Standing Committee on Subsidiary Legislation, the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, Finance Committee and the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

Governance experience

Within the executive branch of Government, Papa Owusu-Ankomah has led a combination of staff at the Ministry of Justice, Youth and Sports, Parliamentary Affairs, Interior; Education, Science and Sports, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and Presidential Special Initiatives. During his tenure of office as the Minister of Education, Science and Sports, the Ghana Black Stars made their historic run to the round of sixteen at the World Cup in 2006. He was also responsible for the reformation of basic education in Ghana. He resigned in 2007 to contest the flagbarership of his party the New Patriotic Party. His bid was unsuccessful having placed sixth ahead of other party contenders. He was appointed Minister for Trade industry, Private Sector Development and Presidential Special Initiatives by the then president, John Agyekum Kufour. He served as the MP for Sekondi for over twenty years.

Family

Papa Owusu-Ankomah has been married to Mrs. Augustina Owusu-Ankomah, who hails from the Central Region, for 36 years. The couple have three children (all lawyers): Nania, Papa Yaw and Kwesi Papa.[15] He has 5 grandchildren.

Hobbies

He has many hobbies, including walking, soccer, reading and listening to Ghanaian music of all kinds. He plays draughts, and likes to watch Ghanaian comedies on television.

Covid-19

He tested positive for the virus on Friday 10 April 2020 and was taken to the Intensive Care Unit of the Royal Free Hospital in London on the UK. He later recovered from the virus and issued a statement.[16][17][18][19]

References
  1. "The High Commissioner Ghana High Commission". Brazil Consulate. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  2. "The High Commissioner Ghana High Commission". Brazil Consulate. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  3. "Papa Owusu Ankomah Appointed Honorary Patton Of UK-Ghana Chamber". www.msn.com. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  4. "Papa Owusu Ankomah Returns To Ghana". Modern Ghana. 26 September 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  5. "Papa Owusu-Ankomah recovers from Covid-19". Graphic Online. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  6. "COVID-19: Papa Owusu Ankomah in stable condition". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  7. "Akufo-Addo swears in first batch of ambassadors [Photos]". Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always. 3 June 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  8. "Papa Owusu Ankomah returns to Ghana after diplomatic service in UK, Ireland". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  9. "Pictures of the Day: 30 June 2017". The Telegraph. 30 June 2017. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  10. peoplepill.com. "About Papa Owusu-Ankomah: Ghanian barrister and politician (1958-) | Biography, Facts, Career, Wiki, Life" Check |url= value (help). peoplepill.com. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  11. FM, Peace. "Ghana Election 1996 Results - Sekondi Constituency". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  12. FM, Peace. "Ghana Election 2000 Results - Sekondi Constituency". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  13. FM, Peace. "Ghana Election 2004 Results - Sekondi Constituency". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  14. FM, Peace. "Ghana Election 2008 Results - Sekondi Constituency". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  15. "The High Commissioner Ghana High Commission". Brazil Consulate. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  16. "Papa Owusu-Ankomah recovers from Covid-19". Graphic Online. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  17. "Papa Owusu Ankomah recovers from Covid-19, extends gratitude to well-wishers". MyJoyOnline.com. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  18. "Coronavirus: Papa Owusu-Ankomah recovers, grateful to all". www.ghanaweb.com. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  19. "Papa Owusu Ankomah recovers from Coronavirus infection in UK". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
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