Wereko Ampem II
Amanokromhene, Gyaasehene of Akuapem
Chief of Amanokrom
Reign1975 – 2005
Investiture1975
PredecessorOfei Dankwa
BornEmmanuel Noi Omaboe
(1930-10-29)29 October 1930
Amanokrom
Died26 November 2005(2005-11-26) (aged 75)
SpouseLetitia Omaboe
HouseAsona Clan of Amanokrom
ReligionPresbyterian
Occupation
Chancellor of the University of Ghana
In office
1998–2005
Preceded byJerry Rawlings
Succeeded byKofi Annan
Commissioner for Economic Affairs
In office
1966–1969
PresidentJoseph Arthur Ankrah (1966–1969)
Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa (1969)
Government Statistician
In office
1960–1966
PresidentKwame Nkrumah
Deputy Government Statistician
In office
1959–1960
Personal details
NationalityGhanaian
EducationAccra Academy
Alma mater

Oyeeman Wereko Ampem II, GM (born Emmanuel Noi Omaboe, 29 October 1930 – 26 November 2005) was a Ghanaian civil servant, businessman and traditional ruler. He was Gyaasehene of Akuapem and Ohene of Amanokrom from 1975 till his death in 2005. He served as Commissioner for Economic Affairs in Ghana from 1967 to 1969 and Government Statistician from 1960 to 1966.[1][2]

Early life

Omaboe was born on 29 October 1930 at Amanokrom in Akuapim.[3] His parents were Peter Nortey Omaboe of Osu and Mary Opeibea Awuku of Amanokrom. His education began at Mamfe Presbyterian School and Suhum Presbyterian Middle School. He was educated at Accra Academy from 1946 to 1950. He entered the University College of the Gold Coast in 1951, to read undergraduate economics. In 1954, under a government scholarship, he proceeded to the London School of Economics to complete his economics degree in statistics, graduating with a first in the subject. He had a year at a postgraduate masters studentship in Statistics at LSE before returning to Ghana.[1]

Public service

In 1957, he joined the University College of Ghana as an economics research fellow and gave lectures in Statistics.[1] In 1959, he was appointed the deputy government statistician. In 1960, he was elected a member of the International Statistical Institute, and became the first African member of the institute.[4] He was a member of the American Statistical Association and a member of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population.[5] He was promoted to Government Statistician in July 1960 due to the Africanization policy of the civil service by Kwame Nkrumah. Omaboe was the first Ghanaian to hold this position, and at the age of 29, the youngest head of a government department.[6][7][8]

Omaboe was census coordinator for the 1960 Population Census which was the first scientifically conducted population census in Ghana. In October 1961, the State Planning Commission was constituted by Kwame Nkrumah with Omaboe as its chairman and Joseph Henry Mensah assisting him.[9] The State Planning Commission brought about and worked on the Seven-Year Development Plan (1963–1970), which was formally launched in 1964.[10]

After the 1966 coup d'état, Omaboe took up the post of Chairman of the Economic Committee of the National Liberation Council in 1966 and Commissioner for Economic Affairs in 1967.[11][12] In these roles, he defined the government's policies toward liberalisation, including devaluation of the Cedi, abolition of import licensing and privatisation of loss-making state enterprises.[13]

Omaboe served as a member of the Advisory Committee on Post Adjustment Questions of the U.N. International Civil Service Commission starting in 1967 and ending in 1985.[14] He also served as a council member of the International Statistical Institute starting from 1968 and became its vice president.

Business career

In 1969, Omaboe retired from public service after ten years' service and set up an investment and economic consultancy, E.N. Omaboe & Associates Limited, of which he served as chairman. In December of that year, he was named to join the Ghana Board of the Barclays Bank D.C.O.,.[15][16] But the next year, Omaboe spent time on a one-year fellowship at the Harvard Centre for International Affairs. From Harvard, he returned to Ghana and worked at his consultancy whose area of business was new in Ghana in 1970 and also joined the boards of Barclays Bank of Ghana and UTC Estates.

In 1974, he partnered Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey and Peter Hasford in the purchase of the advertising firm, Lintas West Africa and Afromedia Ghana from Unilever. He became chairman of Lintas W.A, immediately after the purchase and was chairman until 2005.[17][18]

In 1980 he joined the United Nations Investment Committee which guides the investments of the pension funds and other trust and special funds under U. N. control.[19][20] In 1997, he became chairman of the investment committee,[21] staying as chairman for the next eight years and made a member emeritus at the end of his service in 2005.[22]

He served as chairman of Reiss & Co. (Ghana) Ltd., a technical trading house with divisions in agriculture, veterinary, information technology and industrial safety supplies.

In 1989, he was a member of a ten-person committee that did work for the establishment of the Ghana Stock Exchange.[23]

In 1991 he had a change in role on the Barclays Bank Ghana board from director to chairman of the bank.[24] He had served as a director since 1971 when the bank was incorporated and was one of its first four named directors.[25] He retired from the bank's board in 2005 after 34 years service on the board as a director of the bank.[26]

In 1995, together with Kwame Pianim, he co-founded New World Investments, an investment and asset management firm, and was chairman on its founding until his death.[27]

Other activities

Omaboe served as chief patron of the Prison Christian Fellowship of Ghana from 1982 and chairman of the Ghana Social Marketing Foundation from 1993.

He was chairman of the governing council of the University of Ghana Medical School from 1984 to 1999, succeeding Harry Sawyerr, the first chairman. In 1999, he was nominated chancellor of University of Ghana. He was the first Ghanaian other than a head-of-state to be nominated as chancellor of the university.[1][28]

In 2004, he procured a rare collection of Ashanti Gold weights from a vendor in Germany, and donated the collection to the Institute of African Studies of the University of Ghana as a private deed of gift to promote cultural education within the university.[29]

Chieftaincy

He was installed "Ohene" (Chief) of Amanokrom and "Gyasehene" of Akuapem in 1975. During his time as traditional ruler, he undertook the projects of the construction of the Manko Aba Ahenfie and the Amanokrom Community Centre. The annual Odwira experienced large turn up of indigenous people living elsewhere and foreigners from abroad due to his image.[30][31][32]

Sports

Omaboe was a member of the Achimota Golf Club. From 1974 to 1975, he captained the Achimota Golf Club and served as president of the club from 1990 to 1998.[33]

In 1971, Omaboe was chairman of the interim management committee of Accra Hearts of Oak football club.[34]

In 1989, Omaboe was chosen to be Chief Patron and President of the Council of Patrons of Accra Hearts of Oak S. C.,.[35][36] Under Omaboe's presidency of the Council of Patrons of the football club, a total of 42 competitive and ceremonial cups was won and a record was set by winning the Ghana Premier League six (6) consecutive times in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. The club for the first time won the CAF Champions League trophy in 2000 and set another Ghanaian record by winning the 8th CAF Super Cup (2001) and crowned this achievements by being the first Club in Africa to win the 1st CAF Confederation Cup in 2004.[37]

Honours

Omaboe received the Grand Medal (Civil Division) of the Republic of Ghana in 1968. In 1973, Omaboe was elected Honorary Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society, having been a member since 1957. He was made President of the Economic Society of Ghana. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Ghana, Legon in 1999.

Personal life

Oyeeman was married to Letitia Omaboe with whom he had five children. His son, Nortey Omaboe is the Chief Executive of GCNet. His daughter, Norkor Duah is the Chief Executive of the marketing communications firm, Mullen Lowe Accra and previously served as the Vice President of International Advertising Association.[38][39][40]

He was a Presbyterian and was known to worship at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Osu. He was also a Freemason, belonging to the District Grand Lodge of Ghana under the United Grand Lodge of England.

Death and royal funeral

Oyeeman Wereko Ampem II died of natural causes on 26 November 2005, aged 75 years. A memorial service was held for him at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Osu. The royal funeral and burial took place at Amanokrom.[41]

Literature

Banful, Alex; Omaboe, E.N. (2006). Model of Leadership Excellence: A Biographical Case Study of Nana Wereko Ampem II. Excellent Pub and Print. ISBN 9988072236.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Addo, Reginald (2006-01-26). "Obituary: Wereko Ampem II". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2017-10-18. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  2. ↑ "Nana Wereko Ampem II". ghanaweb.com.
  3. ↑ New Ghana Volumes 10-12. Ghana Information Services Department, 1966. 1966. p. 7.
  4. ↑ "He's a member of statistical institute". The Daily Graphic. 15 December 1960. p. 1.
  5. ↑ International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (1981). Directory of members' scientific activities. L'Union, 1981.
  6. ↑ Ghanaian. Star Publishing Company, Limited. 1960.
  7. ↑ "Omaboe Gets the top post". The Daily Graphic. 13 July 1960. p. 1.
  8. ↑ Ghanaian, Issues 19–29, Issues 31–35, Star Publishing Company Limited, 1960, p. 47
  9. ↑ David Rooney (1988). Kwame Nkrumah: The Political Kingdom in the Third World. I.B. Tauris. p. 184. ISBN 9781850430735.
  10. ↑ Vieta, Kojo T. Flagbearers of Ghana: Biographies of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians. p. 242.
  11. ↑ "Ghana Today" Volume 11. 1967. p. 4.
  12. ↑ "African Today, Volume 14". Indiana University Press,1966. 1966.
  13. ↑ 10th Anniversary Memorial Lecture Of the Late Oyeeman Wereko Ampem 11. University of Ghana. 2015.
  14. ↑ Yearbook of the United Nations,39,1985. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. 1989. ISBN 0792305035.
  15. ↑ The Banker. Vol. 120. Financial News Limited, 1970. 1970. p. 236.
  16. ↑ Ghana Economic Review. Editorial and Pub. Services., 1970. 1970.
  17. ↑ John Westwood (2007). The Strategist: Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey. Blue Savana, 2007. p. 26. ISBN 978-9988099701.
  18. ↑ Amoak, Kwasi (2016). The Creative One: Childhood to advertising career; Life and Works of Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey. ISBN 978-9988233723.
  19. ↑ Susan J. Djonovich (1986). Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly, United Nations General Assembly. Oceana Publications, 1986. p. 497. ISBN 9780379143072.
  20. ↑ Official Records, United Nations General Assembly. UN,1995. 1995.
  21. ↑ GNA (6 February 2002). "UN Investment Committee to meet in Accra". modernghana.com. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  22. ↑ Citation to a man of true honour. The Daily Graphic. 4 January 2005.
  23. ↑ "About Us:Overview & History". Official website. Ghana Stock Exchange. Archived from the original on 2007-02-27. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  24. ↑ "Reed Information Services, 1995". The Bankers' Almanac. Vol. 1. Reed Information Services. 1995. p. 1261.
  25. ↑ "Moses Danquah". Ghana Economic Review. Editorial and Pub. Services., 1972. 1972.
  26. ↑ TRIBUTE BY BARCLAYS BANK OF GHANA LIMITED. The Daily Graphic. 2 February 2006.
  27. ↑ "Ghana: We Mean Business". Conafric Ghana Limited, 2000. 2000. p. 63.
  28. ↑ "Wereko Ampem is installed Legon Chancellor". The Daily Graphic. 22 March 1999. p. 1.
  29. ↑ "University Community remembers departed Chancellor". modernghana.com. 6 March 2006. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  30. ↑ "NWereko Ampem II". Archived from the original on 2009-03-03. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  31. ↑ Bukarson, Listowell Yesu (2005-11-29). "Nana Wereko-Ampem Passes Away". modernghana.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-05. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  32. ↑ "Remembering Oyeeman Wereko Ampem II". National Commission On Culture. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  33. ↑ Ransford Tetteh, ed. (4 December 2008). 2nd Wereko Ampem II Memorial Golf, Friday. The Daily Graphic.
  34. ↑ Kojo Gyan-Budu (2008). Soccer History: The Missing Link. Otubua Publications. p. 21.
  35. ↑ Bukarson, Listowell Yesu. "Nana Wereko-Ampem Passes Away". modernghana.com. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  36. ↑ "OBITUARY: Wereko Ampem is dead". ghanafa.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  37. ↑ Tribute by Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club in Memory of Nana Wereko Ampem II. 1 February 2006. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  38. ↑ "Norkor Duah". MullenLowe Accra. Archived from the original on 2018-07-29. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  39. ↑ "Mullen Lowe Accra". Archived from the original on 2018-07-29.
  40. ↑ Samuel K. Obour (17 May 2013). "Norkor Duah appointed Vice President of International Advertising Association".
  41. ↑ "Chiefs at war:Oyeeman's funeral nearly marred". ghanaweb.com. 6 February 2006.
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