Boakye Agyarko
Concerned Youth of Krobo, a youth group in the Krobo area, has expressed gratitude to President Nana Akufo-Addo for appointing Boakye Agyarko as the Minister-designate for Energy.
According to the group, it is highly elated that the president has fulfilled his campaign promise that Krobo’s are going to play an integral role in his government.
In a statement jointly signed by Philip K. Mamphey, convener; Goldman D. Awuku, secretary; Michael Mensah, organizer and Marksen Walter Jr., patron, the group indicated, “We the people of KLO want to use this opportunity to thank His Excellency for honoring his words and we also believe that he has more in stock for the people of KLOMA.
“We believe that the president has made the right choice for appointing one of the illustrious sons of the land, subject to parliamentary approval, to head such a strategic ministry in the development of this country.”
Mr Boakye Agyarko, the policy adviser and spokesperson on energy for Nana Akufo-Addo’s 2016 campaign, was on Tuesday named as the Minister-designate for Energy by the president, at a press briefing at the Flagstaff House in Accra.
When approved by parliament, Mr Agyarko would be heading to the Ministry with a rich experience in public service; and he is expected to find lasting solution to the power crisis known as dumsor.
Boakye Agyarko, the group claimed, had taught them the real meaning of hard work and integrity, and is convinced that his dedication will greatly advance the vision of the president and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
The Concerned Youth of Krobo thanked President Akufo-Addo for electing Prof. Mike Aaron Ocquaye to the position of Speaker of Parliament.
Mr. Agyarko was born in 1956 in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region, to Mr. Kwasi Agyarko, a merchant and a United Party activist from Jamase, Ashanti and Teacher Jane Ladze Padi from Krobo-Odumase in the Eastern Region. Boakye Agyarko had his elementary school education at the K.O. Methodist Primary School (Ashanti New Town) and proceeded to the University of Science and Technology (UST) Primary School.
He went to Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast, Central Region, on September 18, 1969 and then the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1976. He studied Economics and Political Science and graduated with B.A. (Hons) in 1979.
Boakye Agyarko (or Torino, as he was affectionately called in school) was an agile and enthusiastic sportsman. He represented Mfantsipim School, (Kwabotwe) in 110m hurdle, triple and long jump events. He reportedly demonstrated a high sense of discipline while in school, which earned him various student leadership positions such as the Secretary of the Voluntary Work Camps Association (VOLU) and the Ghana United Nations Students and Youth Association’s (GUNSA’s) National President, and National Coordinator.
He later became the National Secretary, National President and National Coordinator of GUNA in 1978, 1979 and 1980 respectively. The Mfantsipim School Year Book for the group of 1974 described Boakye Agyarko as, “one of the most colourful students to climb the Kwabotwe Hills from 1969 to 1976.”
He joined Management & Investment Consultants Limited (MANCONSULT), a private economic and management consulting firm in Accra as junior economist from 1981 to 1984.
While in the United States, Boakye Agyarko earned an Advanced Professional Certificate in Banking from the American Institute of Bankers. He also earned an MBA with concentration in Finance from Pace University in New York City. For 22 years, he was employed as a professional banker at the bank of New York – the oldest bank in America – where he rose to the position of Vice President and Head of Global Network Management for the Americans in the Investment Management and Services Division.
BY Daniel Bampoe