Dzifa Aku Attivor (22 February 1956 – 15 November 2021)[1] was a Ghanaian politician and businesswoman. She was Minister for Transport in Ghana until her resignation in December 2015 due to a controversial bus re-branding contract.[2] She was appointed in February 2013 by President John Mahama after the Ghanaian general election in December 2012.[3][4]
Dzifa Attivor | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Attivor in 2013 | |
| Minister for Transport | |
| In office 14 February 2013 – December 2015 | |
| President | John Mahama |
| Preceded by | Collins Dauda |
| Succeeded by | Fiifi Kwetey |
| Deputy Minister for Transport | |
| In office 2009 – January 2012 | |
| President | John Atta Mills |
| Succeeded by | Fiifi Kwetey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dzifa Aku Attivor 22 February 1956 |
| Died | 15 November 2021 (aged 65) Accra, Ghana |
| Political party | National Democratic Congress |
| Spouse |
Raphael Napoleon Kwaku
(died 2019) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Peki Senior High School American Century University |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Secretary, Businesswoman |
Early life and education
editDzifa Aku Attivor was born on 22 February 1956. She started her basic education at the Evangelical Presbyterian Primary School at Abutia-Teti between 1960 and 1970.[5] Her secondary education was at the Kpedze Secondary School and the Peki Secondary School, both in the Volta Region of Ghana between 1970 and 1975. She then trained at the Government Secretarial School qualifying as a Stenographer Secretary in 1981. She later obtained a Secretarial Silver Diploma from Pitman College UK. Her graduate qualifications are from the American Century University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration in 2007 and a master's degree in Human Resource Management in 2012.[5]
Career
editAttivor worked with the Bank of Ghana from 1976 to 2003 as a research clerk and then as a Personal Assistant to three successive Deputy Governors.[5] She also became the Personal Assistant to the head of treasury in charge of all general office administrative work in the same bank.[5]
Minister for Transport
editAttivor was a member of the National Democratic Congress. She contested the Ho West constituency primaries of the NDC in 2008 but lost to Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah who subsequently won the elections in December 2008.[6] She was however appointed Deputy Minister for Transport by late President John Atta Mills from 2009 to January 2012.[7][8][9] After John Dramani Mahama became president, she was appointed the substantive Minister for Transport.[10][11][12][13] She resigned from the government in December 2015 following controversy over the government's contract for the rebranding of buses.[14]
Dedefund
editAfter leaving government, Attivor moved into private business. She also set up a non-governmental organization named "Dedefund"[15] which is dedicated to the support of brilliant but needy children, the course of women and the youth, the NGO also cares for the 120 cured lepers at Schohaven Village located in Ho in the Volta Region.
Regional Chairperson bid
editAttivor made her intentions known publicly and launched her campaign to become the Volta Regional Chairperson of the National Democratic Congress in August 2018.[16] She campaigned on the ideas of changing the norm by selecting a female to head the region and the fact that the incumbent government had failed in delivering their promises,[17][18] but she lost the elections and urged the members and other supporters to rally behind the winner and ensure a collective win for their party.[17][19] She was defeated in the elections in September 2018 after garnering 374 votes against the winner John Kudzo Gyapong, the incumbent who had 491 votes.[20][21]
International work
editAttivor was appointed the chairperson for the ECOWAS Medical Village (EMV) and Eco-medical taking over from Peter Ahiekpor who doubled as the chief executive officer and chairperson, but had been moved to only serve as the CEO whilst Attivor served as the chair for the medical project.[22][23] EMV is a private sector initiative focused on putting up an internationally rated hospital complex for the use of residents within the West African subregion to reduce the number of citizens who go out of West Africa to receive treatment in South Africa, North America, Europe, Cuba and India. Her role was overseer of the EMV's formation.[24] The village is being built on a 40-acre land in Accra, Ghana, with satellite hospital units in all other West African countries. The firm also supplies medical, mobility and accessibility equipment to countries within the subregion.[23][24]
Personal life
editAttivor was married to Raphael Napoleon Kwaku Attivor, who died in 2019.[25] She had three children, and was a member of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana.[26]
Attivor died on 16 November 2021, at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, after a brief illness at the age of 65.[1][26]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Amoh, Emmanuel Kwame (16 November 2021). "Former Transport Minister Dzifa Attivor dies at 65". 3NEWS. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ "Transport Minister Dzifa Attivor resigns over controversial bus branding deal". MyJoyOnline. 23 December 2015. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- ^ "Parliament approves nine more appointees". GhanaWeb. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ^ "President Mahama Administeres Oaths Of Allegiance And Secrecy To 17 Ministers". Latest News. Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Dzifa Aku Ativor". Ghana government. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ^ "Photos: Meet Transport Minister, Dzifa Ativor - MyJoyOnline.com". MyJoyOnline. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "President Mills nominates 23 Deputy Ministers". GhanaWeb. GNA. 24 February 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ "President Mills swears-in four new Deputy Ministers". ghananewsagency.org. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Mills Picks 75 Ministers". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "List of Mahama's new ministers and deputy ministers - MyJoyOnline.com". MyJoyOnline. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ Africa, Daily Guide. "President John Mahama Name 7 More Ministers". Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Parliament vets five more ministers". GhanaNewsAgency. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ Nadalet, Ivan. "■ GHANA: Government once more looking to partner private sector in launching new national carrier. Fifth time lucky?". Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ Dadzie, Ebenezer Afanyi (23 December 2015). "Transport Minister resigns over bus branding scandal". Citi 97.3 FM. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ^ "Dzifa Attivor settles as new Chair of Eco Medical - MyJoyOnline.com". MyJoyOnline. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Dzifa Attivor joins Volta NDC race". GhanaWeb. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ a b "Dzifa Attivor outlines agenda for Volta Regional NDC chairmanship". Graphic Online. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ "NPP destroying Mahama's solid foundation – Dzifa Attivor". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ "Dzifa Attivor rallies support for her opponent after defeat in NDC Regional elections". Awake News. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ Amoh, Emmanuel Kwame (2 September 2018). "Former Transport Minister Dzifa Attivor loses NDC elections". 3news. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ "NDC Regional elections: Dzifa Attivor, Yamin lose, Chairman Ade Coker retained". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2 September 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ "Dzifa Attivor settles as new Chair of Eco Medical - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 22 January 2016. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ a b Akpah, Prince (21 January 2016). "Dzifa Attivor chairs Eco Medical Village". News Ghana. Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ a b Gobah, Timothy (4 February 2016). "Eco medical village to be established in Ghana". Graphic Online. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "'Unite and Reason with One Another in Reorganization Efforts' – Dzifa Attivor to NDC Women Organizers". Global FM Online. Retrieved 12 February 2021.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Former Transport Minister, Dzifa Attivor, is dead". GhanaWeb. 16 November 2021. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.