Samuel Nuamah Donkor (5 September 1958 – 14 August 2022) was a

Ghanaian The Ghanaian people are a nation originating in the Gold Coast (region), Ghanaian Gold Coast. Ghanaians predominantly inhabit the Republic of Ghana and are the predominant cultural group and residents of Ghana, numbering 34 million people as of ...

politician and social worker. He was a Minister for Health, Minister for Ashanti Region and a member of the first parliament of the fourth republic of Ghana representing New Juaben North constituency under the membership of the

National Convention Party National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

(NCP). In 1982, he was appointed by chairman

Jerry John Rawlings Jerry John Rawlings (born Jerry Rawlings John; 22 June 194712 November 2020) was a Ghanaian military officer, aviator, and politician who led the country briefly in 1979 and then from 1981 to 2001. He led a military junta until 1993 and then se ...

of the

Provisional National Defence Council The Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) was the name of the Ghanaian government after the People's National Party's elected government was overthrown by Jerry Rawlings, the former head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, in a coup ...

(PNDC) as the Deputy regional coordinator for Peoples Defence Committees and Workers Defence Committees (PDCs / WDCs) and additional position as coordinator for New Juaben 1982 to 1992. Under

administration in 1996 he was appointed Deputy Minister of Health of Ghana before becoming the substantive Minister of Health in 1998. In 1999, he was appointed the Ashanti Regional Minister position which he held until January 2001, when the National Democratic Congress handed over government to the opposition party, the

New Patriotic Party The New Patriotic Party (NPP; ) is a Centre-right politics, centre-right and Liberal conservatism, liberal-conservative political party in Ghana. Since the democratisation of Ghana in 1992, it has been one of the two dominant parties in Ghanaian ...

. In March 2014, he was appointed the managing director of the Intercity State Transport Company limited (STC) in the National Democratic Congress, under

John Mahama John Dramani Mahama (; born 29 November 1958) is a Ghanaian politician who has been the 14th president of Ghana since January 2025. A member of the National Democratic Congress (Ghana), National Democratic Congress (NDC), he served as the 12th p ...

administration from 2014 to 2017.

Early life and education

Samuel Nuamah Donkor was born on 5 September 1958 to Opanin Kwabena Agyekum, Gyaasehene of Asokore-Koforidua in the Eastern Region of Ghana and Madam Abena Akyaamah also from Asokore- Koforidua. He schooled in

Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary (POJOSS) (formerly St. John's Seminary and College) is a Catholic all-boys day-boarding school located in Effiduase, Koforidua, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Established in 1958 by Bishop Jo ...

for his

GCE O level GCE can mean: * Galactic Center GeV excess * Gas Control Equipment, GCE Group, Sweden * General Certificate of Education * Global citizenship education * Google Compute Engine * Ground combat element in the United States Marine Corps * Guthrie Corri ...

. Having completed his O level studies in 1978, he continued his studies at Koforidua Secondary Technical for his

GCE Advanced level The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational a ...

certificate in

physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...

chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...

and

biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...

. He attended Escuela National De Cuadros, Management Development and Productivity Institute where he obtained his

Diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offi ...

and Certificate in Social Science and Management Studies respectively. He worked as a social worker before going into parliament.

Career

In March 2014 Donkor was appointed the managing director of the state transport company limited.

Politics

He began his political career in 1982, appointed by chairman

of the

PNDC as the Deputy regional coordinator for Peoples Defence Committees and Workers Defence Committees (PDCs / WDCs) and additional position as coordinator for New Juaben North 1982 to 1992, when he became the parliamentary candidate for the

(NCP) to represent his constituency in the Eastern Region of Ghana prior to the commencement of the

1992 Ghanaian parliamentary election Parliamentary elections were held in Ghana on 29 December 1992, the first since 1979. Voter turnout was just 28.1% amidst a boycott by opposition parties, who had claimed the preceding presidential elections in November – won by former military ...

. Under the Jerry John Rawlings administration, he served as minister for health.

Member of parliament

He was sworn into the First Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana on 7 January 1993 after being pronounced winner at the 1992 Ghanaian election held on 29 December 1992. After serving his four years tenure in office, Samuel Nuamah Donkor lost his seat in the 1996 Ghanaian General Elections to his counterpart in the

(NPP), Hackman Owusu Agyemang who polled 11,629 votes which represented 52.60% of the total votes cast. Donkor who represented National Democratic Congress (NDC) polled 7,494 votes representing 33.90% of the total valid votes cast, Michael Adu-Bonsu of the People's National Convention (PNC) polled 264 votes representing 1.20% of the total valid votes cast, John Buabeng of the

Convention People's Party The Convention People's Party (CPP) is a socialist political party in Ghana based on the ideas of the first President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. The CPP was formed in June 1949 after Nkrumah broke away from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGC ...

(CPP) polled 77 votes representing 0.30% of the total valid votes cast and Samuel Osei-Owusu of the

polled 43 votes representing 0.20% of the total votes cast. In parliament, he was appointed the ''deputy minority leader'' of Parliament from 1983 to 1996. He also served on the Parliamentary committees of defence and interior, finance and foreign affairs. In 1995, he was appointed the chairman of the foreign affairs committee of Parliament.

Minister of state

In 1996, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Health of Ghana in the

administration. He assisted the minister in introducing reforms in the health sector. It was during that period that

guinea worm ''Dracunculus medinensis'' (Guinea worm, dragon worm, fiery serpent) is a nematode that causes dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea worm disease. The disease is caused by the female which, at around in length, is among the longest nematodes ...

was eradicated from Ghana. In 1998, as Minister for Health of Ghana, he introduced the popular Addition Duty Hours Allowance (ADHA) for doctors and health professionals. This allowance served as motivation for doctors and health professionals which reduce incidence of "strike actions" from such professionals. He was awarded a certificate of honour by the

Ghana medical Association The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) represents physicians, surgeons and dentists working throughout Ghana. It was established in 1958 and is divided into ten divisions representing each region of Ghana as at the end of 2018. History The earliest ...

(GMA) in its annual conference held in Suyani in the Brong Ahafo Region. The nurses used to call him "''The darling boy of the Nurses''". In 1999, he was appointed the Ashanti Regional Minister, a position he held till January, 2001.

Personal life

Donkor identified as a Christian.

Death

Samuel Nuamah Donkor passed away on Sunday 14 August 2022. He left behind a wife, Irene Nuamah Donkor, and five children, Raphael Nuamah, Abena Nuamah Yeboah, Princess Terry Nuamah, Samuel Einstein Nuamah Donkor and Oti Boateng Nuamah.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Donkor, Samuel Nuamah 1958 births 2022 deaths Ghanaian MPs 1993–1997 Ministers for health of Ghana People from Eastern Region (Ghana) National Democratic Congress (Ghana) politicians Koforidua Senior High Technical School alumni Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary alumni