J. V. L. Phillips

James Villers Legge Phillips (1922–2012) was a Ghanaian civil servant and politician. He was Ghana's Commissioner (Minister) for Lands and Mineral Resources from 1966 to 1968,[1] and Ghana's Commissioner (Minister) for Industries and Ghana Industrial Holdings from 1968 to 1969.[2]

James Villers Legge Phillips
Minister for Industries and Ghana Industrial Holdings
In office
1968–1969
Appointed byJoseph Arthur Ankrah
Preceded byR. S. Amegashie (Minister for Industries and State Enterprises)
Succeeded byRichard Abusua-Yedom Quarshie (Minister for Trade, Industry and Tourism)
Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources
In office
1966–1968
Appointed byJoseph Arthur Ankrah
Preceded byKobina Orleans Thompson (Minister for Mines and Mineral Resources)
Succeeded byR. S. Amagashie
Personal details
Born
James Villers Legge Phillips

(1922-02-23)February 23, 1922
Cape Coast, Gold Coast
Died2012 (aged 8990)
Accra, Ghana
NationalityGhanaian
RelationsHarold H. Phillips
EducationMfantsipim School
Alma materEmmanuel College, Cambridge
OccupationCivil Servant

Early life and education

A descendant of Dutch-Fante people, Phillips was born on 23 February 1922 at Cape Coast, Ghana (then Gold Coast).[3] He had his secondary school education at Mfantsipim School and his tertiary education at Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1946.[3]

Career and politics

Phillips returned to Ghana in October 1946 and was appointed Labour Officer.[3][4] He became Deputy Commissioner of Labour in 1955,[5] in 1958, he was appointed Commissioner of Labour.[3][6] He joined the Ministry of Finance in 1959 working as Secretary to the Budget Bureau, and later, Principal Secretary to the ministry.[3] Prior to his appointment as executive secretary of the State Enterprises Secretariat (a secretariat which had been created to advise and direct the operations of all State corporations), he was the executive secretary of the State Control Commission; a sub-committee of Cabinet which was responsible for economic and financial matters.[3][7][8] In October 1966, Phillips voluntarily retired from Civil Service. Following the 1966 coup d'état, he served as Director of Parkinson Howard (Ghana) for a brief period of time.[3] He served as Ghana's Commissioner (Minister) for Lands and Mineral Resources from 1966 to 1968, and Ghana's Commissioner (Minister) for Industries and Ghana Industrial Holdings from 1968 to 1969.[9] During the Supreme Military Council regime, he served as the resident Manager,[10][11] and chairman for the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO).[12][13]

Golf

Phillips was a founding member of the Ghana Golf Association (GGA). He was then a member of the biggest golf club in Ghana, the Achimota Golf Club. Other founding members included Kwesi Chinbuah, Acquaah Harrison and David Anderson.[14] He served as the president of the GGA between 1980 and 1990.[15]

Adult Education

Phillips, while he was Senior Labour Officer in charge of the Tarkwa district became involved as a part-time lecturer for extra-mural courses organised by the then Institute of Extra-Mural Studies (later Institute of Adult Education and now the School of Continuing and Distance Education) of the University College of the Gold Coast (now the University of Ghana.[16]

Personal life

Phillips was a member of the District Grand Lodge of Ghana.[17] He once served as its Right Worshipful Grand Master.[17] He was also a founding member of the Methodist University College, Ghana.[17][18] He was married to Rachael Phillips with 4 children.[19]

Recognition

The family of Phillips donated money for the creation of JVL Phillips Chair of Mathematics in his memory as a former District Grand Master of Ghana for Freemasonry.[20][21]

Death

James Phillips died in 2012, aged 90 years. His funeral service was held at the Accra Ridge Church.

References

  1. Alexander, Zvi (2004). Oil: Israel's Covert Efforts to Secure Oil Supplies. Gefen Publishing House Ltd. ISBN 978-965-229-317-6.
  2. "Reuters Archive Licensing". Reuters Archive Licensing. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  3. Towards Civil Rule in Ghana. State Publishing Corporation. 1968. p. 19.
  4. The Colonial Office List. H.M. Stationery Office. 1950.
  5. Report. Ghana Labor Department. 1950.
  6. Record of Proceedings -International Labour Conference. International Labour Office. 1959.
  7. Ghana Gazette. 1963.
  8. Ghana Today. 1964.
  9. Ghana News. Embassy of Ghana.
  10. United States Congress; Scheuer, James Haas (1978). Report of the Honorable James H. Scheuer on the Growing Awareness of Population and Health Issues in Africa. U.S. Government Printing Office, United States Congress House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Domestic and International Scientific Planning, Analysis, and Cooperation.
  11. West Africa. West Africa Publishing Company, Limited. 1989.
  12. Holsey, Bayo (2008). Routes of Remembrance: Refashioning the Slave Trade in Ghana. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-34975-6.
  13. E & MJ International Directory of Mining. Engineering and Mining Journal. 1995.
  14. "About GGA - Our History – GHANA GOLF ASSOCIATION". www.ghanagolfassociation.org. Ghana Golf Association. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  15. "Leadership". www.ghanagolfersassociation.org. Ghana Golf Association. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  16. Hagan, Kwa O. (May 1974). "Part III: The Second Phase". Oxford University and an adult education experiment in Ghana, 1947-1950 (PDF). Legon: Institute of Adult Education, University of Ghana. p. 19. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  17. "District Grand Lodge donates to Methodist University College". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  18. "Displaying items by tag: JVL Phillips Chair of Mathematics". www.freemasonrytoday.com. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  19. "Freemasonry Today - Winter 2013 - Issue 24". Issuu. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  20. "New university chair of Mathematics funded by District Grand Lodge of Ghana". www.freemasonrytoday.com. UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  21. Baah, Emmanuel (5 October 2013). "District Grand Lodge donates to Methodist University College". Modern Ghana. Accra. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
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