Ashford Emmanuel Inkumsah

Inkumsah was born in 1900 at Sekondi, in the Western Region, Gold Coast (now Ghana). His father was a traditional priest at Ahanta who converted to Methodism.[3] He started schooling at the Sekondi Methodist School and continued at Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast graduating in 1921.[4][5][6]

In January 1922 he was employed by Messrs. Miller Brothers Limited, Kumasi as an abstract clerk. In June 1922 he joined Messrs. F. & A. Swanzy Transport for six months as a stenographer typist. He was later moved to Swanzy Trading Company where he worked as a stenographer typist until 1927 when he returned to Sekondi. In Sekondi, he worked with a firm of general merchants; Pickerings & Bethod, for two and a half years. Inkumsah trained as a pharmacist from 1931 to 1934 and in December 1934 he opened his own business; the Asfordinks Drug Store in Sekondi.[4][5]

While in Sekondi, he joined the Sekondi town council and remained a member of the council for ten years. In 1949 he joined Nkrumah's Convention People's Party (CPP) at its inception. Two years later he was elected a member of parliament for the Shama Ahanta constituency on the ticket of the CPP.[7][5] He was re-elected in the various parliamentary elections that were held before and after the first republic until the overthrow of the Nkrumah government.[8][9][10][11] He was appointed Minister for Labour in 1951 and in 1959 he was appointed Minister for Housing.[12] A year later he was appointed Minister for Interior.[13] In 1961 he was made Minister for Health[14][6] and in 1963 he was appointed Minister for Information and broadcasting.[15] He served in this capacity until 1965 when he was appointed Minister for Interior[16] and the first deputy speaker of the 1965 parliament which lasted until 21 February 1966.[17]

Inkumsah was married to the late Florence Inkumsah.[18] His hobbies included shooting.[5]