Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Encyclopedia
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (born March 29, 1944) is a Ghana
ian lawyer and politician. He was one of the founding members of the centrist New Patriotic Party
(NPP) in 1992, and was also the founder and first chairperson of the Ghana Committee on Human and People's Rights. .
He was educated at Lancing College
, Sussex, England, and the University of Ghana
, Legon
, graduating in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Economics degree.
Nana Akufo Addo trained as a lawyer in England and was called to the English Bar (Middle Temple
) in July 1971 as well as the Ghanaian Bar in July 1975.
He had a stint with Coudert Frères, a major US law firm, as an associate counsel, at its Paris
office in France
between 1971 and 1975.
The Foreign Minister also worked as a junior partner at the chambers of U.V. Campbell, and in 1979 co-founded, with Dr Edmund Prempeh, the law firm, Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Company in Accra.
Nana Akufo-Addo has served on the boards and committees of a number of political, legal and social organizations in the country. He is also the Chairperson of DHL, Ghana Limited; Chairperson, Kinesec Communications Company Limited, publishers of the Statesman.
Under President John Kufuor
, Akufo-Addo was the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from 2001 to 2003; he was then Minister for Foreign Affairs
from April 2003 to July 2007, when, in accordance with his political party's rules, he resigned, along with seven others, to seek the presidential nomination of his party.
On December 23, 2007, Akufo-Addo was elected as the NPP's 2008 presidential candidate at a party congress, receiving 47.96% of valid votes (1,096 votes). Although he fell short of the required 50%, the second-place candidate, John Alan Kyeremanten
, conceded defeat and backed Akufo-Addo. In the 2008 presidential election
, Akufo-Addo received the highest number of votes in the first round of voting, but since he failed to obtain a majority, the election went into a second round runoff between him and National Democratic Congress
candidate John Atta Mills. In the runoff, he lost the election to Atta-Mills by a 50.23%–49.77% vote.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian lawyer and politician. He was one of the founding members of the centrist New Patriotic Party
New Patriotic Party
-External links:*...
(NPP) in 1992, and was also the founder and first chairperson of the Ghana Committee on Human and People's Rights. .
He was educated at Lancing College
Lancing College
Lancing College is a co-educational English independent school in the British public school tradition, founded in 1848 by Nathaniel Woodard. Woodard's aim was to provide education "based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith." Lancing was the first of a...
, Sussex, England, and the University of Ghana
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian universities and tertiary institutions. It is one of the best universities in Africa and by far the most prestigious in West Africa...
, Legon
Legon
Legon, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital city Accra, is situated about twelve kilometres north-east of the city center. Legon is home to the main campus of the University of Ghana. The word "Legon" is derived from the indigenous Ga language of the people of Greater Accra; NI-LEY GON therefore "Hill...
, graduating in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Economics degree.
Nana Akufo Addo trained as a lawyer in England and was called to the English Bar (Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
) in July 1971 as well as the Ghanaian Bar in July 1975.
He had a stint with Coudert Frères, a major US law firm, as an associate counsel, at its Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
office in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
between 1971 and 1975.
The Foreign Minister also worked as a junior partner at the chambers of U.V. Campbell, and in 1979 co-founded, with Dr Edmund Prempeh, the law firm, Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Company in Accra.
Nana Akufo-Addo has served on the boards and committees of a number of political, legal and social organizations in the country. He is also the Chairperson of DHL, Ghana Limited; Chairperson, Kinesec Communications Company Limited, publishers of the Statesman.
Under President John Kufuor
John Kufuor
John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor was the second president of the 4th Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the African Union...
, Akufo-Addo was the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from 2001 to 2003; he was then Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ghana)
The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the Ghana government official who is responsible for overseeing the country's foreign policy and international diplomacy. The minister is usually one of the most senior members of Cabinet....
from April 2003 to July 2007, when, in accordance with his political party's rules, he resigned, along with seven others, to seek the presidential nomination of his party.
On December 23, 2007, Akufo-Addo was elected as the NPP's 2008 presidential candidate at a party congress, receiving 47.96% of valid votes (1,096 votes). Although he fell short of the required 50%, the second-place candidate, John Alan Kyeremanten
John Alan Kyeremanten
John Alan Kyerematen is a Ghanaian politician. He attended Adisadel College in Cape Coast for his secondary education. He proceeded to the University of Ghana for a Bachelor's degree....
, conceded defeat and backed Akufo-Addo. In the 2008 presidential election
Ghanaian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Ghana on 7 December 2008, at the same time as a parliamentary election. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, a run-off election was held on 28 December, 2008 between the two candidates who received the most votes, Nana Akufo-Addo and John Atta...
, Akufo-Addo received the highest number of votes in the first round of voting, but since he failed to obtain a majority, the election went into a second round runoff between him and National Democratic Congress
National Democratic Congress (Ghana)
The National Democratic Congress is a social democratic political party in Ghana, founded by Jerry John Rawlings, who was Head of State of Ghana from 1981 to 1993 and the President of Ghana from 1993 to 2001. The NDC was formed ahead of elections in 1992 and 1996 returned Jerry John Rawlings to...
candidate John Atta Mills. In the runoff, he lost the election to Atta-Mills by a 50.23%–49.77% vote.