John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor affectionately called John Agyekum Kuffour is a Ghanaian businessman and politician who served as president of Ghana (2001–09).
John Agyekum Kuffour was born on December 8, 1938, Kumasi, Gold Coast [now Ghana].
Kufuor was the 7th of 10 children of Nana Kwadwo Agyekum, an Asante royal, and Nana Ama Dapaah, a queen mother. Kufuor was educated at Prempeh College in Kumasi and in Great Britain. He was called to the bar in 1961 at Lincoln’s Inn, London, and then studied at the University of Oxford, where in 1964 he earned a master’s degree in philosophy, politics, and economics.
After completing his education, Kufuor returned to Ghana and launched his political career. In 1967 he became chief legal officer and town clerk for the city of Kumasi. By 1969 he was a member of Parliament and deputy foreign minister in the government of Kofi Busia. After Busia was overthrown in 1972, Kufuor spent several years as a businessman in the private sector. During Ghana’s transition back to democracy in 1979, Kufuor returned to public life. He was a member of the assembly that drafted the constitution of the third republic, and he was elected to Parliament in 1979, serving as deputy minority parliamentary leader. After Jerry J. Rawlings overthrew the government in late 1981, Kufuor stayed on as Rawlings’s secretary for local government. He resigned less than a year later, however, expressing his disappointment with the Rawlings regime.
Kufuor spent the rest of the decade as a private citizen until Ghana returned to democratic politics in 1992. He helped found the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and in 1996 became the party’s candidate for president.
Though Kufuor lost to Rawlings in the national election that year, the NPP nominated him again to stand in the December 2000 election. Kufuor ran on a platform that emphasized improving the Ghanaian economy and educational system and capitalized on the mood of voters who were ready for a change in leadership.
Kufuor garnered the most votes in the presidential election but did not have a majority, thus requiring a runoff election to be held later that month. Kuffuor won the runoff election, capturing 57 percent of the vote.
Parents of John Agyekum Kuffour
He was the seventh child out of the ten children that Nana Kwadwo Agyekum gave forth. President John Agyekum Kufuor’s father was the head of the Oyoko royal family. The queen-mother, his wife, was Nana Ama Dapaah. The family was part of the royal Asante ancestry. President John Agyekum Kufuor was brought up by his mother.
Educational Background of John Agyekum Kufour
President John Agyekum Kufuor education John Kufuor education is not questionable. The former President John Agyekum Kufuor went to Osei Tutu Boarding school, which is currently known as Osei Tutu Senior High School as from 1951-1953.
He later enrolled at Prempeh College as from 1954 to 1958, where he scooped five awards out of the possible six that were awarded to the best students. Apart from excellence in academics, John Agyekum Kufuor also actively participated in sports.
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor then went to study Law at Lincoln’s Inn in London between the years of 1959 and 1961. In 1961 he sat his bar exam, which he passed. In 1961, he enrolled at Exeter College in Oxford, where he studied Legal studies. One year into studying law, he realized that he had a passion for politics. He made up his mind and switched to pursuing philosophy, politics, and economics instead.
He completed his studies after two years. President John Agyekum Kufuor career In 1965, John Agyekum Kufuor’s mother talked him into going back to Ghana. By then he and his wife had two children. He complied and went back.
John Agyekum Kufour Working As a Lawyer and a Politician
While in Ghana, he practiced as a lawyer to earn a living. After two years of practicing as a lawyer, he was appointed to become the legal officer. He also became the city manager of Kumasi. He served at these posts for two years.
During his service, he got exposed to politics which made him realize his dream. He, therefore, decided to take a new course and exclusively pursue politics. He officially changed his career from law to politics in 1969. During this year, he got appointed as deputy minister in the Progress Party government.
He served under Victor Owusu. Victor had known him since his childhood days. He also served as the Member of Parliament for Atwima Nwabiagya between 1969 and 1972 and between 1979 and 1981. John Agyekum Kufuor also served as the Deputy Minister for foreign affairs. While giving his service to this office, Agyekum Kufuor John Kufuor got the chance to represent Ghana in significant summits and conferences. Some of them include leading Ghana’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly. This event took place in New York City.
He also represented Ghana in the Organization of African Unity (OAU) meeting which took place in Addis Ababa. Apart from that, he also took part in the Ghanaian delegation to Moscow during the Soviet Union meetings that took place in Prague, Belgrade. These meetings aimed to discuss Ghana’s obligation to the Soviet Union. During his service as spokesman on Foreign Affairs, he concurrently served as the Deputy Opposition Leader for the Popular Front Party (PFP), during the third republic.
He also got an invitation to attend the OAU Summit conferences alongside President Limann. The summit took place in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Apart from that, he was also a member of the parliamentary delegation that went to the United States on talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The discussions focused on the economic problems that Ghana faced.
The Ex President John Agyekum Kufuor also served as the secretary for local government. In this post, he took part in writing Policy Guidelines that formed the basis for the current decentralized District Assemblies. While serving office, Agyekum Kufuor John Kufuor actively participated in politics and vied for a couple of posts. In 1996, April, he got nominated with over 1000 out of the 2000 delegates, from the 200 constituencies, to run for the Presidential seat.
These delegates were from the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor spent less than nine months campaigning. Elections took place on 10th December, and John Kufuor managed 39.62% of the total votes.
He lost to Jerry Rawlings who garnered 57%. Losing the 1996 polls did not mean that that was the end of the road for Agyekum Kufuor John Kufuor. He was again nominated in 23rd October 1998 to run for the presidency under the New Patriotic Party. He earned the seat as the chairperson of the party.
John Agyekum Kufour Becomes President
Come 7th December 2000, John Agyekum Kufuor won the elections with 48.4% against John Atta-Mills who had earlier on served as Vice-President during the reign of Jerry Rawlings. Since none of them had attained more than 50% of the total number of votes cast, a re-run took place on the 28th of December.
This time around, John Kufuor scooped 56.9% of the total votes. He got sworn in on the 7th of January 2001. This was the first time that the incumbent government gave in office peaceably to the opposition.
During his first term, President John Kufuor’s government aim was to stabilize the country’s economy which by then had deteriorated. He made it part of his five priority areas programme whose objective was attaining; good governance, modernization of agriculture for rural development, private sector participation, enhanced social services and active infrastructure development.
In pursuit of economic stabilization, President John Kufuor’s government received financial aids, the most in the history of Ghana, because of the image that the previous military government had painted. Apart from relying on donations from other countries, he also had a policy that would help reclaim the economy of Ghana.
This strategy is known as economic diplomacy. Economic diplomacy policy worked so well in Ghana that it was adopted in other countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Guinea-Bissau, to mention but a few. It is through the use of this policy that peace was reclaimed inmost of these countries.
On the aspect of the trade, John Kufuor’s government suggested the implementation of a fair and equitable economic and social order. The execution was through bilateral and multilateral talks. All these were in the best interests of Ghana as a country.
Due to the image he portrayed as a statesman, an able spokesman, and democrat, he got invitations to conferences that later led to the formation of the African Union, (AU). He also attended meetings on the; G8 Summits in Sea Island, Georgia, and Gleneagles, Scotland, and the World Economic Forum.
Wife of President John Agyekum Kufuor
President John Agyekum Kufuor is a loving husband. The name of President John Agyekum Kufuor wife is Theresa Kufuor, whom he married in 1962. John Agyekum Kufuor met the former first lady, Mrs. Theresa Mensah in 1962. By then he was in Oxford, and Mrs. Theresa Mensah had gone to study nursing in England. The two got married. The former first lady is a retired midwife and nurse. Theresa Kufuor studied at the Catholic Convent at the Volta Region.
She later went on to further her studies at the Southern Hospital Group of Nursing in Scotland, where she studied as a Registered General Nurse. Then enrolled at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford and later at the Paddington General Hospital in London, after which she qualified as a State Certified Midwife.
She also graduated with a Certificate in Premature Nursing. Apart from practicing as a nurse, Mrs. Theresa Kufuor has also been influential in politics in Ghana. She pushed for changes in the education sector in Ghana. The reforms were after the implementation of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) for kindergarten children by UNESCO.
She is also the founder of the Mother and Child Community Development Foundation (MCCDF). The area of focus of the non-governmental organization is to ensure good health to mothers and children.
The non-governmental organization operates in Ghana and Canada. John Agyekum Kufuor wife and husband have five children.
Children of President John Agyekum Kufuor
John Agyekum Kufuor wife and her husband have five kids. The names of the kids are; J. Addo Kufuor, Nana Ama Gyamfi, Saah Kufuor, Agyekum Kufuor, and Owusu Afriyie Kufuor. President John Agyekum Kufuor and his wife are loving grandparents to eight grandchildren. Former President John Agyekum Kufuor and family are members of the Roman Catholic Church.
Source: TheBBCghana.Com
