Prosper Douglas Bani

Prosper Douglas Kwaku Bani is a Ghanaian international aid and development manager and politician who is a former Chief of staff of Ghana[1][2] and a former Minister for Interior. He is a senior manager and specialist in international peace-building and development processes. For over 15 years, he led innovative processes in peace and development with the United Nations in several locations, worldwide.

Hon.
Prosper Douglas Bani
Minister of Interior
In office
January 2016 – January 2017
PresidentJohn Dramani Mahama
Preceded byMark Woyongo
Succeeded byAmbrose Dery
Chief of Staff
In office
January 2013 – February 2015
Preceded byJohn Henry Martey Newman
Succeeded byJulius Debrah
PresidentJohn Dramani Mahama
Personal details
Born
Prosper Douglas Kwaku Bani
Nationality Ghanaian
Political partyNational Democratic Congress
Alma materUniversity of Ghana
Institute of Social Studies
University of Oslo
University of Texas
ProfessionInternational aid and development expert , Politician

Early life and education

Bani is native Kpando a town in the Volta region of Ghana and is an Ewe.[3][4] He holds Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Ghana, Legon in 1981.[5] He furthered his education at the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands, where he completed in 1989 with a Master of Arts in Development Studies: Politics and Development Strategies. In 1991 he obtained a certificate of achievement in International Development Studies from University of Oslo, Norway.[5] He obtained a Master of Arts, majoring in Comparative Politics and Government in 1994 from the University of Texas at Austin, USA, Master of Arts, 1994 Major: Comparative Politics and Government.[5]

Career

Lecturer

He started his career as a lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Journalism where he worked from 1984 to 1992. Within that period he rose to become a senior lecturer and Director of studies through that role he contributed to training of leading journalists and media managers in Ghana.[1][6]

United Nations

He started a long period of service within the UN starting as project manager for the Tajikistan community-based peace and confidence building project under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Tajikistan from July 1996 to May 1999. Between November 1999 to August 2002, he worked at the United Nations Volunteers Programme under the UNDP in Geneva, as a Programme Specialist for peace and confidence-building programmes.[1][6]

He rose to become a Small Arms and Demobilisations Specialist and at some point the Acting team leader of the Small Arms and Demobilisation Unit within the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) under UNDP between September 2003 and February 2006.[6][5]

Bani managed and coordinated Crisis Prevention and Recovery (CPR) programmes in support of over 20 countries and Regional organisations in Africa, as the team leader for the BCPR based in South Africa, between 2009 and 2011. Prior to this, He served as a regional advisor in Dakar, Senegal for the BCPR under the UNDP in March 2006 to February 2009.[6]

Between 2011 and 2012, Bani led the United Nations / Intergovernmental Authority on Development inter-ministerial response on the humanitarian crises in Horn of Africa as the Senior Recovery Advisor and Manager.[6]

Political career

Chief of staff

Bani is a member of the National Democratic Comgress.[7][8] He was appointed by President John Dramani Mahama on 8 January 2013 after he had been sworn in as president on 7 January to serve as Chief of Staff to take over from John Henry Martey Newman.[9] He served in that capacity for 2 years until 15 February 2015 when he was removed from office and replaced with the then local government and rural development minister Julius Debrah.[10][11] He was then assigned to as serve as Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary.[11] His removal was met with a lot of displeasure from groups within the Volta Region of Ghana.[12][13][14][15] After his removal of office as chief of staff, Bani still worked as part of government as he was performing sod cutting ceremonies along with other officials in the Volta region especially within the Kpando Municipality.[16]

Minister of Interior

Bani was appointed as the Minister of Interior as part of a ministerial reshuffle by John Dramani Mahama on 19 January 2016.[17][18][19][20] He took over from Mark Woyongo who had been moved to the presidency to serve as Minister of state.[21][20] His appointment was received with great pleasure and excitement from people within his native town Kpando.[3][4]

Philanthropy work

Bani built and donated a Mother and Baby Unit to Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital in Kpando in the Volta Region in October 2019. He built it based on reports of inadequate facilities to facilitate the delivery of children and to lack of equipment within the hospital. The unit is meant to drastically reduce the mortality rates of mothers and their babies within the Kpando municipal area.[22][23][24]

In September 2018, Bani was appointed as the board chairman of the Dialysis Services Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization aimed at providing for the medical expenses of patients with kidney failures.[25][26][27]

Publications

• D.K. Bani and Julius Ihonvbere; "The State Non-governmental Organizations and Development in Africa," Foreign Affairs Reports vol. XLIII, No. 6, June 1994.[28]

• Prosper D.K. Bani; Review of Ihonvbere, Julius O., Nigeria: The Politics of Adjustment and Democracy, New Brunswick, NJ and London, UK; transaction Publishers 1994. 231pp. In Journal of Third World Studies, vol. XI, No. 2, Fall 1994.

References
  1. "Prosper Douglas Kweku Bani Profile". ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  2. "Mahama fires Prosper Bani, appoints Julius Debrah as Chief of Staff". Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  3. Anane, Mary (23 January 2016). "Kpando Constituency promises President landslide victory". Graphic Online. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  4. The Informer (13 March 2015). "Dismissed Prosper Bani making himself relevant?". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  5. "Prosper Douglas Kweku Bani, Biography". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  6. "Profile of Mr. Prosper D.K Bani". Ministry of the Interior│Republic of Ghana. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. Nartey, Laud (7 September 2020). "NDC's manifesto abhors corruption – Prosper Bani". 3news. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  8. GhanaWeb (3 April 2020). "NDC is willing to help the government fight coronavirus – Prosper Bani". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  9. "Mahama Names New Chief Of Staff And Others". News Ghana. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  10. Amponsah, Charles. "President Mahama Names Julius Debrah As Chief Of Staff". www.gbcghana.com. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  11. "Update: Prosper Bani out, Julius Debrah in, as new Chief of Staff - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  12. "Group Calls For Prosper Bani Reinstatement". Pulse Ghana. 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  13. "Volta Youth Angry Over Sack Of Former Chief Of Staff Prosper Bani". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  14. "Volta NDC demands reinstatement of Prosper Bani - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  15. Online, Peace FM. "Volta NDC Threatens Mahama For Sacking Bani As Chief of Staff". Peacefmonline.com - Ghana news. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  16. Agency, Ghana News (12 March 2015). "Prosper Bani Cut Sod For Construction Of Kpando-Hohoe Road". News Ghana. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  17. Reuters Staff (19 January 2016). "Ghana's president appoints new interior minister". Reuters. Retrieved 19 January 2021. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  18. "Mahama reshuffles Ministers: Prosper Bani makes comeback as new Interior Minister - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  19. "Mahama reshuffles team; Prosper Bani, Fiifi Kwetey get new appointments". Citi fm online. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  20. Graphic Online (19 January 2016). "Ministerial reshuffle: Prosper Bani for Interior, Vanderpuye, Ackon elevated". Graphic Online. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  21. Adjorlolo, Ruth Abla. "Outgoing interior minister hands over portfolio to Prosper Bani". www.gbcghana.com. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  22. Noretti, Alberto Mario (2019-10-22). "Former Chief of Staff builds ward for Catholic hospital at Kpando". Ghanaian Times. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  23. Afavi, Bright Selase (24 October 2019). "Mother, baby unit for Margaret Marquart Hospital". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  24. "Former Chief of Staff donates ultramodern Mother and Baby Unit to Margaret Marquart Hospital". Radio Gold 905fm. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  25. Duncan, Jude (21 September 2018). "Dialysis Services Foundation launched to support kidney disease patients". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  26. "Prosper Bani chairs new Foundation to support dialysis patients - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  27. Okertchiri, Jamila Akweley (26 September 2018). "Foundation To Support Kidney Patients Launched". DailyGuide Network. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  28. Iheduru, Obioma M. (1999). The Politics of Economic Restructuring and Democracy in Africa. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-30833-8.
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