Kwasi Amoako Atta

Kwasi Amoako-Attah[1] (born 5 August 1951) is a Ghanaian lawyer, management consultant and politician. He is the Member of Parliament of the Atiwa West constituency in the Eastern Region of Ghana. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party and, as of 2017. He is currently Ghana's Minister for Roads and Highways.[2]

Kwesi Amoako Atta
MP
MP for Atiwa West
Assumed office
19 October 2010
PresidentJ. A. Mills, John D. Mahama, Nana Akuffo-Addo
Preceded byKwasi Annoh Ankama
Minister for Ministry of Roads and Highways
Assumed office
February 2017
PresidentNana Akuffo-Addo
Personal details
Born (1951-08-05) 5 August 1951
Ghana
Political partyNew Patriotic Party
Children4
Alma materUniversity of Ghana, Ghana School of Law
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionLawyer

Early life and education

Kwesi Amoako Atta was born on 5 August 1951 at Akyem-Awenare in the Eastern Region of Ghana. He attended Abuakwa State College where he received his GCE Ordinary Level certificate and continued to Tarkwa Senior High School for his GCE Advanced Level certificate.[3][4] He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration from the University of Ghana, Legon. He then proceeded to the Ghana School of Law, Makola and was called to the Ghana Bar in 2002.[5] He obtained an Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of Ghana.[6]

Working life

After graduation from the University of Ghana, Atta was employed from 1979 to 1985 at the now defunct Meat Marketing Board as a regional manager. He then joined Unilever Ghana, where he was first made the brands manager then head of logistics and marketing.[7] When he was called to the Ghana Bar, he joined the legal department, where he rose to Group Legal Advisor of Vlisco Ghana Group.[7] He left the company in 2010 to pursue a career in politics.[4]

Political life

Atta entered the Ghanaian political scene in 2010 when he contested the Atiwa West seat. Three other candidates, namely Emmanuel Atta Twum of the National Democratic Congress, George Padmore Apreku of the New Vision Party, and Kasum Abdul-Karim of the People's National Convention also contested in the 2010 by-election of Atiwa held on 31 August 2010.[8] Atta won the election by obtaining 20,282 votes out of 27,540 cast, representing 75.0 percent of total valid votes.[9]

He was sworn into the Parliament of Ghana on 19 October 2010 by Joyce Bamford-Addo.[8] He went on to win the two subsequent Atiwa constituency elections in the 2012 parliamentary elections and in the 2016 parliamentary elections.

Minister of Roads and Highways

In January 2017, President Nana Akuffo-Addo nominated Atta for the position of Minister of Roads and Highways in Ghana. Atta was tasked with improving urban and feeder roads in the country, especially those in Ghana's agricultural belt. This would improve the country's food security.[10]

Parliamentary vetting

The Appointments Committee of Parliament met Atta on 2 February 2017 and vetted him on his vision for the ministry. He told the committee of his vision to automate all toll booths in the country. He articulated that prior to the automation process, he would personally oversee the recruitment of persons with disabilities as toll collectors at the various toll booths across the country. This policy would ensure that 50 percent of all toll collectors would be persons with disabilities.[11] According to Atta, this would reduce the economic burden of the country towards the upkeep of people living with disabilities.[12]

Akuffo-Addo swore in all the ministers who had been approved by Parliament on 10 February 2017.[13] Atta was among ten other ministers who received their ministerial charters to begin work in their various ministries.[14]

Ministerial activities

In July 2017 he launched the Persons with Disability Road Toll Initiative. The first group of 80 persons with disabilities completed the training program and were duly allocated toll booths to work in.[15] Atta reiterated the fact that a total of 200 persons with disabilities would be employed under the initiative.[15] He is currently the Minister for Roads and Highways.[16]

Personal life

Atta is married with four children. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.[5]

References
  1. "Nana Addo's government undertook over 50 road projects in first term – Amoako-Attah". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  2. "Contractors who do shoddy work to pay more for maintenance - Roads Minister warns - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  3. "Kwasi Amoako Attah". Odekro. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  4. "Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Attah". Parliament of Ghana. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  5. "Amoako-Attah, Kwasi". GhanaMPs. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  6. "Full MP Detalis". Ghana MPS. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  7. "Governance Kwasi Amoako-Atta – Roads and Highways". Government of Ghana. Archived from the original on 25 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  8. "Amoako Atta sworn in as MP for new Atiwa". Ghana News Agency. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  9. "Atiwa MP is dead". Ghanaweb. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  10. "Full List of Ministers Designate". Modern Ghana. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  11. "50% of toll booth staff to be persons with disability – Roads Minister-designate". My Joy Online. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  12. "Kwesi Amoako-Atta appears before Appointments Committee – Highlights". Ghana Web. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  13. "President swears in last batch of sector ministers". Ghana WEB. 11 February 2017. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  14. "Akufo-Addo swears in final batch of Ministerial nominees". My Joy Online. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  15. "Toll booth job for PWDs; gov't kicks off with 80 people". Citifmonline. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  16. "Roads being fixed since 2017 — Minister". Graphic Online. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
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