NDC loses former National Chairman

By Patience Gbeze, GNA

Accra, March 12, GNA – Dr Kwabena Adjei, the former National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), passed on in the morning of Tuesday, March 12, at the Accra Regional Hospital.

Information gathered by the Ghana News Agency revealed that Dr Adjei had not been well for some time now. He was 76.

Dr Adjei was an academic, politician and businessman. He started his political career in 1978, when he was elected Council Member for the Jasikan District Council in the Volta Region.

He was a parliamentary candidate for Biakoye Constituency under the umbrella of the Popular Front Party from 1979-1981, PNDC Deputy Secretary (Minister of State) for the Volta Region of Ghana.

Dr Adjei was also the PNDC Deputy Secretary (Deputy Minister of State) for Industries, Science and Technology, Republic of Ghana from 1987-1992 and had been a key member of the NDC since its formation in 1992.

From 1993 to 2004, Dr Adjei was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Biakoye Constituency. From 1993 – 1994 he was the First Deputy Majority Chief Whip and then became the substantive Majority Chief Whip in 1994, with another portfolio as the Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry.

He became the substantive Minister for Lands and Forestry from 1994 to 1996; a Cabinet Minister of Food and Agriculture; 1998 to 2000, and with this same period he was the Majority Leader, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, and Chairman of Business Committee in the Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

From 2001 to 2004, Dr Adjei was the Member of the Finance Committee, Health Committee and once the Chairman of Ghana Education Trust Fund.

Dr Adjei, nicked named, “Wayo! Wayo!!; “Kill the Cat” could be credited with several unique achievements as an Executive appointee and the NDC Party man from 1987 till date.

He was instrumental in stabilising the governance of the Volta Region where appointee changes had become the order of the day and a destabilising force in the Volta Region before 1987.

He discharged his obligations as a Deputy Minister or a substantive Minister with excellence wherever he was appointed.

Among other things, Dr Adjei restructured any ministry he was posted to; formulated policies for the ministry; and enhanced d’espirit de corps in the ministry.

He was instrumental in diffusing the time bomb planted by the breakaway Reform Party to weaken or disintegrate the NDC around 1998-1999, and led the NDC to resurrect from its slumber in opposition to a sweet marginal electoral victory in 2009.

Dr Adjei again led the NDC to retain power in 2012 and had played a neutralist leadership role to ensure that the NDC survives, unites and elaborate itself.

He had delegated functions to and allowed his subordinate officers to enact their roles without hindrance, thereby permitting them to demonstrate their political and other potentials.

The International Award of Millennium Development Ambassador was conferred on him by the United Nations in August 2013.

He has participated in several International Development and Political fora and held a membership to these fora.

Dr Adjei was also a former lecturer in Psychology and Sociology of the University of Maiduguri, Bono State, Nigeria and the University of Ghana, Legon.

GNA

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