Political diversity - keeping it in the family
Interestingly, it looks as if in every government we have siblings and families in high positions steering affairs of the state or are key leaders of political parties in the country.
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The Ramadans
The Ramadan family is one that is often seen as a very democratic family, because they are found in all the major political parties in Ghana.
Their father, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, is the immediate past chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC). He was in the PNC with one of his sons, Abu Ramadan, who also used to be the Youth Organiser.
Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan and son, Mohammed Ramadan
His only daughter is Mrs Samira Bawumia, the wife of the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Before the 2016 general election, Abu Ramadan defected to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to join forces with his brother in-law, the Vice-President. Interestingly, Samira, as she is affectionately called, is a beauty contestant-turned-politician.
Mrs Bawumia, took the NPP party's campaign to another level, targeting the youth and women. This made her gain a lot of followers on social media and she was a delight to watch on the campaign platform.
Abu Ramadan and sister, Mrs Samira Bawumia
Her ability to speak various languages, good command over the English Language and fashion sense made her keep trending during the peak of the campaign.
It is no doubt that commentators said she slayed it with her elegant appearance during the inaugural ceremony on Saturday.
Their brother is Mohammed Ramadan who contested on the ticket of the NDC in Adentan but lost to Mr Yaw Buabeng Asamoah who won on the NPP ticket.
Jinapor brothers
From left: John Jinapor, Ahmed Jinapor and Samuel Jinapor
Another group is the Jinapor brothers. One belongs to the NDC and the other the NPP. The immediate past Deputy Minister of Power, Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, is the one affiliated to the NDC and is the MP for the Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency.
His younger brother is Mr Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, who is the new Deputy Chief of Staff. One significant thing about the two brothers is that John was an aide to President John Mahama until he was given a ministerial position.
Samuel equally served as aide to President Nana Akufo-Addo in the famous 2007 NPP presidential primaries. He held this position for both the 2008 and 2012 general elections.
Mr Samuel Jinapor is also a qualified Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana. He graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, with specialisation in Biomedical Physics.
His intellectual thirst and political aspirations led him to enrol to be trained as a lawyer, which aspiration he successfully accomplished. Consequently, he was called to the Ghana Bar in 2012.
As a newly enrolled lawyer, he had his pupillage with a reputable commercial and corporate law firm, Messrs Kulendi @ Law from October 2012 to August 2013 where he studied under the tutelage of Yonny Kulendi, a renowned lawyer in Ghana.
The Deputy Chief of Staff is expected to earn a Master’s Degree in Law (LLM) in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) from the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, sometime in May 2017.
He is happily married to Mrs Naada B.D. Jinapor, a lawyer with the Corporate Law Department of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT). Their marriage is blessed with a daughter.
Their big brother is Dr Ahmed Jinapor, a lecturer of the University of Education, Winneba, who is also a social commentator and a notable face on our screens.
Unlike his two brothers, he is known for his neutral stance on political issues.
Kufuor and Addo- Kufuor
During President Kufuor’s era, we had his younger brother, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, in government. Dr Addo-Kufuor was the Member of Parliament for Manhyia from 2001 to 2007.
He became the Minister for Defence under President John Kufuor between June 2008 and 2009.
He was Minister for Interior as well.
Ahwoi brothers
From letf: Kwesi Ahwoi, Kwamena Ahwoi and Ato Ahwoi
There is the Ahwoi brothers who are very powerful in the NDC. Mr Kwesi Ahwoi held various positions in government and business. He was the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre during the Rawlings era.
After the December 2008 presidential election, he was appointed Minister for Food and Agriculture by President John Atta Mills. In January 2013, he was appointed Minister for the Interior by President John Dramani Mahama.
In 2015, he became the first Ghanaian ambassador to the Comoros; he also doubles as Ambassador of Ghana in four other countries: Lesotho, Mauritius, Seychelles and Swaziland.
His brother Professor Kwamena Ahwoi once served as Minister for Local Government and Rural Development from 1990 to 2001 in the NDC government, during the reign of President Jerry John Rawlings.
He also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1997 and was acting minister in that department during the 1990s.
In 2005, he resigned as director of research for the NDC and is currently a lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
Mr Ato Ahwoi, one of the brothers, was one of the powerful people at the Castle during Prof. Evans Atta Mills’ era. He was a confidante of the President and, therefore, viewed by many as the de-facto Prime Minister of Ghana.
He was also the Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.
Rawlings
Another family which is keeping the political mantle in the family is the Rawlings. Former President Jerry John Rawlings retired from the military and set up the NDC.
He legalised political parties and organised presidential and parliamentary elections in response to demands for a more democratic process in the country.
His first daughter, Dr Zenator Rawlings, launched her political career with the June Fire Disaster in Accra, seeking funds and relief for the affected. Subsequently, she developed interest in the Klottey Korle Constituency.
Despite the various battles in court by the then incumbent Nii Armah Ashietey over the seat, she unseated him as the NDC parliamentary candidate during the primaries and is now the elected Member of Parliament for the constituency.
Her mother, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, also came into the political limelight when her husband became Head of State briefly in 1979 and then from 1981 to 2001. She has been the President of the 31st December Women's Movement since 1982 to date.
She was elected First Vice Chairperson of her party in 2009 during the second term of her NDC’s tenure in office under President John Atta Mills.
She challenged Atta Mills for the party's flagbearership position at the party's congress which took place at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region but lost to him.
Nana Konadu, therefore, left the party afterwards to form her party the National Democratic Party (NDP) in October 2012.
In fact, she was the only female presidential candidate during the 2016 presidential election.