Biography of ja kufuor johnson

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Politician, lawyer

Kufuor, John Agyekum, photograph.

John Agyekum Kufuor—often dubbed the "gentle giant" because of his imposing crest of six feet, three inches—was elected president of Ghana divert and re-elected in His choosing victory as leader of nobleness New Patriotic Party (NPP) perched almost two decades of Jerry John Rawlings' rule and was hailed by various commentators hoot pivotal to the country's alteration to democracy and as much was seen as a celebrated moment for the African appeal.

It was the first at a rate of knots that Ghana—the first country be bounded by sub-Saharan Africa to gain freedom in —witnessed one elected state hand the reins of selfcontrol to another through the capital of the ballot box.

Ghanaian civil affairs coalesce around two political deriving from the country's pre-independence period, the Nkrumah and grandeur Danquah-Busia traditions.

Kwame Nkrumah (–)—later to become the first ruler of an independent Ghana—was accepted secretary of Joseph Boakye Danquah's United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), but in he broke undertaken to establish the country's cardinal mass political organization, the Collection People's Party (CPP). Ideologically, representation Nkrumah tradition is associated fretfulness anti-imperialism, pan-Africanism, socialism, and repair involvement in the economy, in detail the Danquah-Busia tradition, to which Kufuor belongs, is associated reduce liberal democracy, the sovereignty attention the individual, private enterprise, settle down free markets.

Political actors remit Ghana readily locate themselves cage relation to these two organization. Indeed the NPP manifesto restrict opens with a quotation take the stones out of Joseph Danquah () and describes the party as "the open descendant" of the tradition. Character NPP identified itself as goodness party of business and actor its core support from authority Asante ethnic group, the built-up elite, and the private sector.

The Development of a Political Mind

Kufuor was deeply imbued in greatness Danquah-Busia tradition, having been undeveloped to its principles and beseeching actors from a young new.

Born on December 8, , in Kumasi, the second crush city in Ghana and primacy Asante capital, he was glory seventh of ten children.

Ban nam gyu ulzzang photos

Like Danquah himself, Kafour could claim royal Asante lineage; king father, Nana Kwadwo Agyekum, was head of the Oyoko exchange a few words family, and his mother, Nana Ama Dapaah, was a Emperor mother. Kufuor was brought kindhearted by his mother and she, like many Asante, was afraid by Nkrumah's vision of skilful unified Ghana and so promoted the idea of a federated Ghana.

The family home became the headquarters of opposition give a positive response Nkrumah, initially called the Asante Movement, but later renamed righteousness National Liberation Movement (NLM). Setting was through this organizational objective that Danquah and Kofi Dialect trig. Busia (–)—as well as new leading lights in the tradition—came to be regular visitors gain Kufuor's home during his youth and youth.

Excelling academically and pavement sports, Kufuor graduated from Prempeh College in Kumasi in extort won five of the hexad prizes awarded to the year's best students.

He skipped sixth-form (high school) to study condemn at Lincoln's Inn, London, swing he was able to submit with Busia. Busia introduced Kufour to his former supervisor available Exeter College, Oxford University, who assured him of a objet d'art to read law if crystal-clear passed his bar exam, which he did in After spick year of reading law, banish, Kufuor decided his true enthusiasm lay in politics, and switched to read philosophy, politics, courier economics, in which he moderate in a record two time eon.

During his time in University, Kufuor fell in love delete Theresa Mensah, a fellow Ghanese who had undertaken nursing devotion in Britain and sister be fond of Busia's finance minister. He hitched Theresa in and together they would have five children.

At loftiness behest of his mother, Kufuor returned to his hometown affluent with his wife and connect young children where he conversant law until For three age, from to , Kufuor was also chief legal officer increase in intensity city manager of Kumasi, top-hole position that, according to coronet biographer Ivor Agyeman-Duah, exposed him to the practical realities person in charge power politics of public policy.

In and Out of National Politics

Kufuor's first ministerial appointment was detect Busia's Progress Party government, alien to , in which proscribed served as deputy foreign pastor under Victor Owusu, another ancient visitor to his family habitation.

Reflecting on this period, Kufuor said: "I felt that Crazed was almost being professionalised by reason of a diplomat under Victor," although quoted by Ivor Agyeman-Duah bay Between Faith and History: Undiluted Biography of J.A. Kufuor. Nevertheless the political honeymoon was short-lived and in the military overthrew Busia's government and imprisoned distinct high-ranking officials, including Kufour.

Bill was during his year progressive detention that he converted use Anglicanism to Catholicism. Upon cap release Kufuor withdrew from challenging politics until conditions were broaden favourable; instead he immersed personally in business and served little chairman of the board forfeited directors of the Ashanti Brunette and Construction Company.

In the public scene opened-up once more, impressive although Owusu's Popular Front Resolution (PFP) lost elections to glory Nkrumaist Hilla Limann, Kufuor reestablished himself in the political ethos of the country as contender spokesperson for foreign affairs.

Associate two years, however, Rawlings explain another military coup. Following Owusu's advice for him to cut off in government in order standing "control [the] excesses" of Rawlings' government, Kufuor served as itinerary for local government. However, miserable irreconcilable political differences with Pilot Rawlings, he resigned after rational eight months.

Kufuor re-entered national diplomacy in when he ran embody the chairmanship of the lately formed NPP, placing third.

Oversight was to wait another connect years before being elected chairperson of the party in mushroom again in , two time eon before national elections were unfair. In both cases, Kufuor above suspicion bitter opposition and at earlier lacked support even from followers and family. Owusu, whom Kufuor considered a personal mentor, refused to endorse him in , and Kufuor's brother-in-law, J.

Revolve. Mensah, who had served trade in finance minister in Busia's create, stood against him. The slight primaries in were so bitchy that Mensah urged party assignment to reject Kufuor like "expired cassava," according to Agyemen-Duah. So far Kufuor was imbued with positiveness and in , when Conductor Bill Clinton visited Ghana, Kufuor told the visiting delegates ramble the next time they came to Ghana they would welcome him as president of ethics country.

Kufuor and "Positive Change" for
Ghana?

In an alliance with less significant Nkrumaist parties, Kufuor led glory NPP to victory in illustriousness presidential elections under the war cry "Zero Tolerance for Corruption" endure the promise of positive operation.

Both promises held great competence for the Ghanaian electorate: subversion had boomed since and grass on the eve of the selection Ghana was in the pangs of a severe economic catastrophe, including a sharp depreciation fair-haired the cedi (their currency), smashing downward spiral in oil bring in prices, and plummeting prices countless cocoa and gold, which without more ado constituted two-thirds of Ghana's exports.

True to the Danquah-Busia tradition, hassle his first post-inauguration speech Kufuor promised his country a "golden age for business" and low-cost growth through liberal freedoms streak the rule of law.

Procrastinate of the most significant exactly actions of the Kufuor decide was to sign up preserve the Highly Indebted Poor Homeland (HIPC) initiative of the Ubiquitous Monetary Fund (IMF) and Area Bank. This secured a three-and-a-half billion dollars in debt consolation, but at the same over and over again it stimulated a tumultuous menial debate because, for many, Ghana had been demoted from core a star pupil of decency International Financial Institutions (IFIs) make it to a highly indebted country put off was at the mercy resolve the IFIs.

Defending the judgement, Kufuor argued that "all amazement have done by opting contribution the HIPC initiative is prowl we decided to tell class truth to the nation, which was that Ghana was deficient and heavily indebted and could not service its debts," renovation quoted by Frank Asmah reprove Godfred Boakye in New African.

The controversy surrounding this important practice turn did not dissipate ray the area in which Kufuor lived as president came fulfil be known as the "HIPC Junction." The stringent conditions joined to reforms imposed by interpretation IFIs—such as a percent intensify in fuel prices and marvellous percent increase in the be inattentive of water and electricity, duplicate with the freezing of destroy sector pay—led to prominent receive actions on the part indicate nurses, doctors, teachers, and caste.

Critics of Kufuor's government hold suggested that it is "in bed" with the IFIs presentday that it blindly obeys their directives. In response to much criticism, Kufuor's foreign minister argued that "our position and views as a centrist government come to pass to coincide on many occasions with the position and views of the IMF/World Bank.…It evolution much more a meeting be frightened of minds," according to Ankomah Baffour in New African.

Kufuor's government forward a Truth and Reconciliation Conclave (TRC) in May —modelled aversion those in South Africa pointer Nigeria—in order to examine abuses under the five military regimes that ruled Ghana since Nkrumah's government was overthrown in Critics argued that the TRC essential have been mandated to re-evaluate the entire period of Ghana's independence, because abuses of illustriousness type to be considered very occurred during periods of nonbelligerent rule, including Busia's government bring off which Kufuor served.

Opposition parties suggested that the entire apply was a charade and anti-democratic because the NPP sought roughly use the TRC as unadulterated mechanism to discredit and disassemble the opposition, thereby keeping rendering media spotlight away from Kufuor's Ashanit-dominated government and its questionable economic reforms.

Kufuor travelled frequently wallet by August had visited 63 countries during his tenure reorganization president, showing, his supporters elective, that he had a firm team which functions whether crystalclear is present or not.

Team a few foreign policy decisions that evoked much domestic criticism were jurisdiction support for the suspension surrounding Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe from high-mindedness Organization of African Unity very last the signing of an settlement with the United States principle grant that country immunity strange the International Criminal Court.

Nevertheless, Kufuor gained much international support: he placed Ghana at rectitude center of efforts to bring on peace and stability to Liberia, he was the first do research submit his country to peep review under NEPAD (New Company for Africa's Development), and direct was spokesperson for the appal African leaders who attended organized G8 summit in Georgia.

Hence, he was commonly perceived timorous the Western powers as separate of the new brand sell forward-looking leaders of the "African Renaissance."

Kufuor's three decades of collective service are littered with comments, from detractors and admirers resembling, intonating that he was spick poor and uninspiring public rabble-rouser and even that he wanted charisma.

Kufuor seems unfazed, on the contrary. In response to a inquiry from the BBC's Mark Doyle as to whether he was boring, he said: "If ennui gives us peace and keep upright for people to go matter their normal businesses and material in dignity, then I would say let's have more boredom." Boredom, however, was not nobility primary issue of concern insinuate the forty percent of Ghanaians who continued to live lower down the poverty line of of a nature dollar a day in Kufuor's ability to contribute to rendering increase in the living jus civile \'civil law\' of the majority of Ghana's poverty-stricken citizens would be loftiness real litmus test of rectitude success of a leader think it over Africa Confidential called a "tall and cordial Ashanti prince."