Kwaku Agyemang Kwarteng (born February 12, 1969)[1] is a Ghanaian civil engineer, economist, and politician. He is a two term Member of Parliament for Obuasi West constituency in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He is a member of Ghana's New Patriotic Party and a deputy minister of finance.[2][3][4][5]
Hon. Kwaku Kwarteng MP | |
|---|---|
 | |
| MP for Obuasi West | |
| Assumed office 2013 | |
| President | John Mahama |
| Deputy Minister for Finance | |
| Assumed office April 2017 | |
| President | Nana Akuffo-Addo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kwaku Agyemang Kwarteng 12 February 1969 Kokofu, Ghana |
| Political party | New Patriotic Party |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | KNUST, University of Ghana |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Economist, Engineer |
| Committees | Finance Committee (Chairperson); Communications Committee |
Life edit
Early life edit
Kwaku Kwarteng was born on February 12, 1969, in Kokofu in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He attended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in nearby Kumasi, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering in 1996.[6] He later obtained a Master of Science degree also in civil engineering from the same university in 2013.[6][7] He also has an M.A. in Economic Policy Management from the University of Ghana in 2009.[6][8][9]
Career edit
Much of the working life of Kwaku Kwarteng has been in politics. He served as the Government of Ghana spokesperson on finance from 2006 to 2009.[6] When the John Agyekum Kufour administration left power in 2009, he became a policy advisor for the New Patriotic Party from 2010 to 2013.[8]
In 2011 he was elected as the New Patriotic Party candidate to contest the newly created Obuasi West constituency. In the 2012 General elections, he contested against John Alexander Ackon of the National Democratic Congress, Abubakar Sadick Iddris of the Progressive People's Party, Ayishetu Tahiru of the National Democratic Party, Mohammed Issifu of the People's National Convention, and the independent candidate Isaac Fordjour. Kwarteng obtained 31,101 votes out of the 48,254 valid votes cast, which represented 64.45% of all votes cast.[8] While in parliament, he has served on several committees including Communications Committee and Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee.[8]
In January 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo nominated Kwarteng and Charles Adu Boahen to become the deputy ministers of finance.[10] They were to work under Ken Ofori-Atta.[11] Kwarteng was vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament in March 2017.[12][13][14][15] During his vetting, he claimed that the John Dramani Mahama administration had left outstanding arrears of 7 billion cedis owed various institutions in the country. The minority discredited the claim saying there was no such debt. Kwarteng also restated the government's desire to bring down the interest rate.[16][17] The committee approved him for the position for which he had been appointed.[18]
In the 2016 Ghana general elections, he won the parliamentary seat with 32,049 votes whilst the NDC parliamentary aspirant John Alexander Ackon had 11,587 votes.[19]
In the 2020 Ghana general elections, he won the parliamentary seat with 33,383 votes whilst the NDC parliamentary aspirant Faustilove Appiah Kannin had 15,141 votes.[20]
He is also the Deputy Minister for Finance.[5]
Committees edit
He served as a member in the Finance Committee and also in the Poverty Reduction Committee.[21] While in parliament, he has served on several committees including Communications Committee.[22] He is currently the Chairperson of the Finance Committee[23][24] and also a member of the Communications Committee.[9]
Personal life edit
Kwarteng is married with three children. He identifies as a Catholic.[8]
References edit
- ^ "Ghana MPs – MP Details – Kwarteng, Agyemang Kwaku". ghanamps. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Hon. Agyemang Kwaku Kwarteng". odekro. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "kwaku kwarteng vetting parliament – Google Search". google Ghana. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Home | Ministry of Finance | Ghana". mofep government Ghana. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ a b "Kwaku Kwarteng cuts sod for road project in Obuasi". Citinewsroom. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Ghana Parliament member Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng". ghanaweb. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Impact of Mining CASE STUDY: OBUASI" (PDF). Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Ghana, ICT Dept. Office of Parliament. "Parliament of Ghana". parliament of Ghana. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ a b "Parliament of Ghana". parliament Ghana. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ "Kwaku Kwarteng, Oppong Nkrumah, among first batch of Deputy Ministers". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Ofori-Atta, Kwarteng and Adu-Boahen for Finance Ministry". 10 January 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Minority Leader jabs Kweku Kwarteng over tax exemptions". 28 March 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Vetting of 54 ministers, deputies begins March 27". m.classfmonline. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Deputy Ministers Vetting Begins". dailyguideafrica. 27 March 2017. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Parliament Appointments C'ttee resumes sitting – The Ghanaian Times". ghanaiantimes. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Arrears could be more than 7 billion – Kwaku Kwarteng". Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Minority Leader jabs Kwaku Kwarteng". Today Newspaper. 29 March 2017. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Parliament approves eleven deputy ministers". citifmonline. April 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Ashanti Region – 2016 Results". modernghana. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ FM, Peace. "2020 Election – Ashanti Region Results". Ghana Elections – Peace FM. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ "Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng | Ministry of Finance | Ghana". mofep Government of Ghana. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ "Parliament vets 54 ministers March 27". Starr Fm. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ Segbefia, Sedem (25 November 2021). "2022 budget will address debt challenges – Kwaku Kwarteng". The Business & Financial Times. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ "Government needs $1bn loan to pay salaries, debts – Kwaku Kwarteng – MyJoyOnline.com". myjoyonline. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.