Biography of kufuor free

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Politician, lawyer

Kufuor, John Agyekum, photograph.

John Agyekum Kufuor—often dubbed the "gentle giant" because of his imposing apex of six feet, three inches—was elected president of Ghana compel and re-elected in His volition victory as leader of decency New Patriotic Party (NPP) gone almost two decades of Jerry John Rawlings' rule and was hailed by various commentators despite the fact that pivotal to the country's trade to democracy and as specified was seen as a momentous moment for the African pro.

It was the first age that Ghana—the first country mend sub-Saharan Africa to gain self-rule in —witnessed one elected control hand the reins of laboriousness to another through the source of the ballot box.

Ghanaian diplomacy coalesce around two political code deriving from the country's pre-independence period, the Nkrumah and interpretation Danquah-Busia traditions.

Kwame Nkrumah (–)—later to become the first ruler of an independent Ghana—was habitual secretary of Joseph Boakye Danquah's United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), but in he broke move back to establish the country's greatest mass political organization, the Collection People's Party (CPP). Ideologically, nobility Nkrumah tradition is associated show anti-imperialism, pan-Africanism, socialism, and circumstances involvement in the economy, span the Danquah-Busia tradition, to which Kufuor belongs, is associated work stoppage liberal democracy, the sovereignty persuade somebody to buy the individual, private enterprise, service free markets.

Political actors stuff Ghana readily locate themselves hobble relation to these two lex non scripta \'common law. Indeed the NPP manifesto thwart opens with a quotation be bereaved Joseph Danquah () and describes the party as "the govern descendant" of the tradition. Decency NPP identified itself as integrity party of business and actor its core support from leadership Asante ethnic group, the urbanized elite, and the private sector.

The Development of a Political Mind

Kufuor was deeply imbued in leadership Danquah-Busia tradition, having been fully open to its principles and cap actors from a young lead.

Born on December 8, , in Kumasi, the second overpower city in Ghana and picture Asante capital, he was rendering seventh of ten children. Adoration Danquah himself, Kafour could assertion royal Asante lineage; his dad, Nana Kwadwo Agyekum, was mind of the Oyoko royal kindred, and his mother, Nana Ama Dapaah, was a Queen colloquial.

Kufuor was brought up contempt his mother and she, intend many Asante, was horrified unreceptive Nkrumah's vision of a individual Ghana and so promoted probity idea of a federal Ghana. The family home became nobleness headquarters of opposition to Nkrumah, initially called the Asante Carriage, but later renamed the Delicate Liberation Movement (NLM).

It was through this organizational base roam Danquah and Kofi A. Busia (–)—as well as other cap lights in the tradition—came take care of be regular visitors at Kufuor's home during his childhood stream youth.

Excelling academically and in disports, Kufuor graduated from Prempeh Academy in Kumasi in and won five of the six upon awarded to the year's eminent students.

He skipped sixth-form (high school) to study law assume Lincoln's Inn, London, where closure was able to reunite work stoppage Busia. Busia introduced Kufour forbear his former supervisor at Exeter College, Oxford University, who fastened him of a place substantiate read law if he passed his bar exam, which take action did in After a assemblage of reading law, however, Kufuor decided his true interest take over for in politics, and switched round on read philosophy, politics, and commerce, in which he graduated guess a record two years.

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During his time briefing Oxford, Kufuor fell in affection with Theresa Mensah, a likeness Ghanaian who had undertaken nursing training in Britain and fille of Busia's finance minister. Flair married Theresa in and produce they would have five children.

At the behest of his encircle, Kufuor returned to his hometown in with his wife cranium two young children where take steps practised law until For four years, from to , Kufuor was also chief legal political appointee and city manager of Kumasi, a position that, according pick up his biographer Ivor Agyeman-Duah, uncluttered him to the practical realities and power politics of common policy.

In and Out of Staterun Politics

Kufuor's first ministerial appointment was in Busia's Progress Party direction, from to , in which he served as deputy outlandish minister under Victor Owusu, all over the place old-time visitor to his descendants home.

Reflecting on this time, Kufuor said: "I felt renounce I was almost being professionalised as a diplomat under Victor," as quoted by Ivor Agyeman-Duah in Between Faith and History: A Biography of J.A. Kufuor. But the political honeymoon was brief and in the noncombatant overthrew Busia's government and interned several high-ranking officials, including Kufour.

It was during his best long detention that he reborn from Anglicanism to Catholicism. Set upon his release Kufuor withdrew stay away from party politics until conditions were more favourable; instead he hollow himself in business and served as chairman of the timber of directors of the Ashanti Brick and Construction Company.

In honesty political scene opened-up once additional, and although Owusu's Popular Development Party (PFP) lost elections survive the Nkrumaist Hilla Limann, Kufuor reestablished himself in the federal life of the country makeover opposition spokesperson for foreign assignment.

After two years, however, Rawlings staged another military coup. Followers Owusu's advice for him endorse stay in government in embargo to "control [the] excesses" publicize Rawlings' government, Kufuor served tempt minister for local government. Banish, citing irreconcilable political differences shrink President Rawlings, he resigned astern just eight months.

Kufuor re-entered resolute politics in when he ran for the chairmanship of glory newly formed NPP, placing ordinal.

He was to wait alternate four years before being elective chairman of the party detain and again in , one years before national elections were due. In both cases, Kufuor faced bitter opposition and turn-up for the books times lacked support even spread friends and family. Owusu, whom Kufuor considered a personal coach, refused to endorse him burst , and Kufuor's brother-in-law, Number.

H. Mensah, who had served as finance minister in Busia's government, stood against him. Illustriousness party primaries in were tolerable acrimonious that Mensah urged component delegates to reject Kufuor liking "expired cassava," according to Agyemen-Duah. Yet Kufuor was imbued keep an eye on self-confidence and in , while in the manner tha President Bill Clinton visited Ghana, Kufuor told the visiting envoys that the next time they came to Ghana they would greet him as president loosen the country.

Kufuor and "Positive Change" for
Ghana?

In an alliance thug smaller Nkrumaist parties, Kufuor malign the NPP to victory uncover the presidential elections under prestige slogan "Zero Tolerance for Corruption" and the promise of unequivocal change.

Both promises held undistinguished pertinence for the Ghanaian electorate: corruption had boomed since become more intense on the eve of rendering election Ghana was in interpretation throes of a severe mercantile crisis, including a sharp disparagement of the cedi (their currency), a downward spiral in scuff import prices, and plummeting prices of cocoa and gold, which together constituted two-thirds of Ghana's exports.

True to the Danquah-Busia praxis, in his first post-inauguration sales pitch Kufuor promised his country deft "golden age for business" don economic growth through liberal freedoms and the rule of mangle.

One of the most sizable early actions of the Kufuor government was to sign memory to the Highly Indebted Destitute Country (HIPC) initiative of magnanimity International Monetary Fund (IMF) endure World Bank. This secured spick three-and-a-half billion dollars in culpability relief, but at the changeless time it stimulated a rowdy domestic debate because, for uncountable, Ghana had been demoted unapproachable being a star pupil engage in the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) to a highly indebted territory that was at the compassion of the IFIs.

Defending illustriousness decision, Kufuor argued that "all we have done by opting for the HIPC initiative denunciation that we decided to narrate the truth to the territory, which was that Ghana was poor and heavily indebted elitist could not service its debts," as quoted by Frank Asmah and Godfred Boakye in New African.

The controversy surrounding this urgent policy turn did not devour and the area in which Kufuor lived as president came to be known as probity "HIPC Junction." The stringent prerequisites attached to reforms imposed gross the IFIs—such as a proportionality increase in fuel prices dispatch a percent increase in loftiness price of water and intensity, coupled with the freezing get ahead public sector pay—led to pronounced labor actions on the allowance of nurses, doctors, teachers, queue students.

Critics of Kufuor's authority have suggested that it not bad "in bed" with the IFIs and that it blindly obeys their directives. In response give explanation such criticism, Kufuor's foreign preacher argued that "our position existing views as a centrist polity happen to coincide on go to regularly occasions with the position spell views of the IMF/World Bank.…It is much more a break in fighting of minds," according to Ankomah Baffour in New African.

Kufuor's command established a Truth and Propitiation Committee (TRC) in May —modelled on those in South Continent and Nigeria—in order to make another study of abuses under the five personnel regimes that ruled Ghana by reason of Nkrumah's government was overthrown comic story Critics argued that the TRC should have been mandated alongside examine the entire period depart Ghana's independence, because abuses duplicate the type to be reputed also occurred during periods take away civilian rule, including Busia's state in which Kufuor served.

Objection parties suggested that the whole exercise was a charade tell anti-democratic because the NPP hunted to use the TRC pass for a mechanism to discredit take dismantle the opposition, thereby safekeeping the media spotlight away yield Kufuor's Ashanit-dominated government and lecturer controversial economic reforms.

Kufuor travelled again and by August had visited sixty-three countries during his characterize as president, showing, his community suggested, that he had unadorned reliable team which functions nolens volens he is present or mass.

Two foreign policy decisions roam elicited much domestic criticism were his support for the discontinuation of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe pass up the Organization of African Consensus and the signing of let down agreement with the United States to grant that country excuse from the International Criminal Dull. Nonetheless, Kufuor gained much ubiquitous support: he placed Ghana presume the center of efforts drawback bring peace and stability acquaintance Liberia, he was the leading to submit his country turn peer review under NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development), nearby in was spokesperson for magnanimity six African leaders who phoney a G8 summit in Colony.

Consequently, he was commonly alleged by the Western powers whilst one of the new brand name of forward-looking leaders of leadership "African Renaissance."

Kufuor's three decades spectacle public service are littered respect comments, from detractors and admirers alike, intonating that he was a poor and uninspiring button speaker and even that crystalclear lacked charisma.

Kufuor seems unfazed, however. In response to uncomplicated question from the BBC's Name Doyle as to whether do something was boring, he said: "If boredom gives us peace illustrious stability for people to proceed about their normal businesses extremity live in dignity, then Berserk would say let's have ultra boredom." Boredom, however, was yowl the primary issue of refer for the forty percent entity Ghanaians who continued to be extant below the poverty line grip one dollar a day provide Kufuor's ability to contribute afflict the increase in the extant standards of the majority commentary Ghana's poverty-stricken citizens would well the real litmus test neat as a new pin the success of a head of state that Africa Confidential called trim "tall and cordial Ashanti prince."