Alfred Oko Vanderpuije

Alfred Oko Vanderpuije (born 4 November 1955)[1][2] is a Ghanaian educationist and politician who currently serves as a member of parliament. He is currently the member of parliament for Ablekuma South Constituency in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.[3]

Hon.
Alfred Oko Vanderpuije
Member of the Ghana Parliament
for Ablekuma South
Assumed office
7 January 2017
Preceded byFritz Baffour
Mayor of Accra
In office
2009–2017
Preceded byStanley Nii Adjiri Blankson
Succeeded byMohammed Nii Adjei Sowah
Personal details
Born
Alfred Oko Vanderpuije

(1955-11-04) 4 November 1955
Jamestown, Ghana
Political partyNational Democratic Congress
Spouse(s)Gifty Naa Adei Vanderpuije
(m. 1982; died 2012)
Cynthia Amerley Ayiku
(m. 2019)
Residence(s)Accra, Ghana
OccupationPolitician

His Dutch surname reflects his Euro-African descent. The ancestors of Vanderpuije originally came from Sint-Maartensdijk on the former island of Tholen in the Netherlands.[4] His ancestor, Jacobus van der Puije, was governor of the Dutch Gold Coast in 1780.[5]

Early life

A Jamestown native, he was born and bred at Mamprobi, Darkuman, and Dansoman at various stages of his childhood.

Education

Vanderpuije studied at Accra Teacher Training College for a 3-year Postsecondary degree in Education. He holds a Masters in Education from Mid America Nazarene College and a Specialist in Education Administration from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, U.S.A.[6][2]

Political career

As Mayor of Accra

He was the former Mayor of Accra,[2] installed in that office by President John Atta Mills in 2009 and he was maintained in that office by President John Dramani Mahama, completing his second term in 2017.[7][8][9]

As Member of Parliament

Vanderpuije was elected to the Parliament of Ghana in the 2016 elections on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to represent the Ablekuma South Constituency in the Greater Accra Region for a four-year term. He won the elections with 31,927 votes out of the 59,041 valid votes cast representing 54.36% of the votes.[10] As an MP, he is a member of Foreign Affairs Committee and House Committee of Parliament.[6]

Personal life

Vanderpuije lost his wife Gifty Naa Adei Vanderpuije in 2012, when she died at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. In 2019, Vanderpuije got remarried to Cynthia Amerley Ayiku after seven years of losing his wife.[11]

Legacy

On the night of Thursday 9 September 2021, he directed traffic on the Sakaman Junction to the Dansoman roundabout stretch. He decided to direct traffic when the police were absent. His actions brought relief to users using that road.[12]

Controversies

LGBTQ+

Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, MP for Ablekuma South Constituency, in October, 2021 reaffirmed Parliament's rejection of LGBTQ+ legalization in Ghana. He expressed the view that throughout Ghana's cultural history, the concept of same-sex marriage has been met with strong disapproval, transcending geographical and tribal distinctions. He emphasized that this deeply ingrained perspective is unlikely to undergo any fundamental shifts in the future.[13] He emphasized anew that Ghana adheres to the conventional definition of marriage involving heterosexual couples, rejecting any contrary notions. He affirmed Ghana's decision against enacting laws that endorse LGBTQ+ rights, marking a distinction from the perspectives in the U.S. and Europe.[14]

Others

In a Citi News interview, Mr. Vanderpuije, the Ablekuma South representative, pinpointed Accra's flooding as a critical issue for the nominee to address if confirmed.[15] He urged Madam Elizabeth Sackey to cooperate with the Accra Regional Minister upon taking office.

References
  1. Newghana.org - Alfred Vanderpuije Ed.S.
  2. "Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Biography". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  3. "Accra Mayor Okoe Vanderpuye Headed To Parliament - Wins Ablekuma South Seat". Ghana Celebrities. 8 December 2016. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  4. Van der Rijt, Franka (30 November 2009). "Dit voelt voor mij als warme thuiskomst". BN De Stem. Archived from the original on 2 December 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
  5. "Okoe Vanderpuije Bio: 7 Lesser Known Facts About The Fmr Accra Mayor". BuzzGhana. 25 August 2017. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  6. "Hon. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije". UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  7. Alfred Vanderpuije is The New Accra Mayor GhanaWeb Archived 24 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  8. "My greatest achievement as Mayor was ending shift system in schools – Oko Vanderpuije". The Independent Ghana. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  9. "Okoe Vanderpuije, Adjiri Blankson believed in the 'City Hall' project- Mayor commends Predecessors". Newsline Ghana. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  10. "Ghana Election 2016 Results - Ablekuma South Constituency". Ghana Elections. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  11. "Photos: Okoe Vanderpuije remarries". The Ghana Report. 5 December 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  12. "Former Accra Mayor, Oko Vanderpuije directs traffic at Sakaman [Video]". Citinewsroom. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  13. "LGBTQ+ Bill: Our position remains unchanged – Oko Vanderpuije". GhanaWeb. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  14. "LGBTQ+ Bill: Our position remains unchanged - Oko Vanderpuije". e.TVGhana. 9 October 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  15. "Oko Vanderpuije throws challenge to new Accra Mayor". GhanaWeb. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
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