KOJO OPPONG NKRUMAH: MINISTER OF INFORMATION
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah’s selection as the youngest minister in President Akufo-administration Addo’s marked a significant turning point in Ghanaian politics. At the age of 35, he was chosen to serve as the Minister of Information in 2018 and has been displaying some major qualities of leadership worthy of international recognition. In addition to his youth, his experience as a journalist, and his assistance in the 2016 elections, Nkrumah’s appointment was noteworthy for a number of other reasons as well. His contributions to the government’s vision for digital transformation, education policy, and communication strategy are noteworthy. These and others discussed below gave Nkrumah up as the ALM young African of the week.
POLITICAL CAREER
In 2016, Nkrumah decided to venture into politics and contested as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Ofoase-Ayirebi constituency. He won the seat with a massive margin of over 60% of the total votes cast. His victory was not surprising, considering his popularity and the fact that he was a member of the NPP’s communication team.
DUTIES AS AN INFORMATION MINISTER
He was the youngest minister of Akufo Addo’s cabinet at the time of his appointment. He is responsible for managing Ghana’s media landscape and the nation’s communication strategy hence his duty includes overseeing the government’s public information strategy and disseminating information to the general public in his capacity as Minister of Information.
SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING THE YOUNGEST MINISTER
Nkrumah’s appointment as minister of information shows the NPP’s commitment to empowering young people and promoting leadership. By appointing a young, energetic leader for such an important post, the party was attempting to show young Ghanaians that they had a place in the nation’s political leadership.
ACHIEVEMENTS AS A MINISTER
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah immediately gained a reputation for having exceptional communication abilities and the capacity to present difficult ideas in a straightforward and clear way. He is a communicator who can relate to the Ghanaian people because he has tried to ensure that the government’s message is delivered to the Ghanaian people in a way that is both clear and effective.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has played a significant role in advancing accountability and transparency in government while serving as the minister of information. He established the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson which is responsible for ensuring that the government’s message is communicated clearly and effectively to the Ghanaian people.
One of his key priorities was to promote digitalization and innovation in Ghana’s media landscape. He played a key role in the rollout of the Ghana.gov portal, which gives people a way to access government services online. The agenda aimed to leverage technology to enhance service delivery and improve the overall efficiency of government operations. Also, the National Digital Property Addressing System, which aspires to provide each Ghanaian with a distinct digital address, was also significantly influenced by him.
The enactment of the Right to Information (RIT) Act is another significant accomplishment of Nkrumah’s time serving as the Minister of Information. The freedom of citizens to access information stored by public organizations is protected by this law, which was passed in 2019. Nkrumah was instrumental in the passage of this legislation, which marked a significant turning point in Ghana’s efforts to promote transparency and responsibility in politics.
KOJO OPPONG WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE PASSAGE OF THE RIT ACT
The launch of the government’s flagship initiative, the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, was one of his notable accomplishments. Irrespective of a student’s socioeconomic status, every student in Ghana is supposed to get free secondary education under the policy. As more young people received access to education, this program marked a crucial turning point for Ghana’s educational system.
During the COVID-19 pandemic’s emergence, Nkrumah was also crucial in leading the government’s communication strategy. He oversaw efforts by the government to inform the populace in a timely and accurate manner, including the launch of a special COVID-19 information portal and frequent updates on the government’s reaction to the pandemic.
ONE OF KOJO OPPONG NKRUMAH’S UPDATES ON THE GOVERNMENT’S REACTION TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC
Nkrumah’s Leadership Inspiration
Young people all around Ghana are inspired by Nkrumah’s accomplishments as a young leader in the government. His selection as the Minister of Information proves that being young is not a barrier to leadership and that young people can have a significant impact on Ghana’s future.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah’s appointment to serve as the youngest minister in Akufo Addo’s administration is a testament to his abilities as a leader, his dedication to encouraging accountability and transparency in politics, and to his capacity to establish communication with Ghanaians. In his capacity as the Minister of Information, he has brought a distinctive viewpoint to the position and shown a dedication to advancing innovation and technology in Ghana’s media environment. His accomplishments as a young leader in the Ghanaian government serve as motivation for youngsters all around the nation and show that youth is not a barrier to leadership.
