The Ghanaian lawyer Joe Ghartey is the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Academician, Lawyer and a Politician born on June 15, 1961. He hails from Shama in the Western Region of Ghana.
Background
Joe Ghartey was born on 15 June 1961 in Accra, Ghana into the family of Joseph and Lauraine Ghartey. Joe's Father, Mr. Joseph Ghartey was a public servant while his mother, Mrs. Lauraine Ghartey (née Daniels) was a teacher. He hails from Shama, Western Region of Ghana.
Education
Joe Ghartey began his primary education in Accra, Ghana, and later moved to one of the most prestigious boys Secondary Schools in Ghana, Mfantsipim School, in Cape Coast. His leadership skills started manifesting while he was at Mfantsipim School. Joe was appointed House Prefect of Pikard Parker House in his senior year and he used his good offices to champion the development of sports and student participation in sports programs at Mfantsipim. He would go on to become Team Manager for the sports teams in the school.
After Mfantsipim, he enrolled to study law and obtained his LLB (Hons) degree in 1986 from the University of Ghana and BL from the Ghana School of Law in 1988, qualifying to be called to the Bar of Ghana in that same year.
After Law School, Joe Ghartey, joined the firm of Akufo-Addo, Premepeh & Co. He left this firm after seven years and co-founded, Ghartey & Ghartey in 1994. He was the Senior Partner, Ghartey & Ghartey Company (Barristers & Solicitors) before he became an MP.
Joe Ghartey also lectured in various fields. He was the adjutant lecturer of Investment law at the University of Ghana Business School. He has also been an adjutant lecturer in Corporate Governance at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), He was also an instructor of the Ghana Stock Exchange. In 2004 he authored Ghana's leading legal publication on investment and business, Doing Business and Investing in Ghana, Legal and Institutional Framework.
Joe Ghartey belongs to the New Patriotic Party and is currently the NPP Member of Parliament for Esikadu/Ketan. He first won the seat in the December 2004 election and was reelected in both the December 2008 and December 2012 elections. During the regime of President John Agyekum Kuffuor, Ghartey was appointed Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice in March 2005. He was appointed the substantive Minister in April 2006, a position he held until January 2009 when he was replaced by Betty Mould Iddrisu of the NDC as the NPP lost power to the NDC in the 2008 election.
After the 2012 elections, Mr. Ghartey was nominated by the NPP minority in parliament for the position of Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament in the 6th Parliament of the 4th Republic. His nomination was challenged by the NDC because according to the NDC's Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the NPP should not be rewarded with the position since it had decided to boycott the inauguration of John Mahama of the NDC as President in the same election it is challenging. The Second Deputy Speaker's position is to be given to a minority party in parliament. Ablakwa, citing precedence by the NPP who chose to vote for Malik Alhassan Yakubu against the NDC's Ken Dzirasa wanted to sponsor a PNC new comer instead. However the NDC allowed his appointment to take place on 7 January 2013.
(In 2004, Joe Ghartey authored what has become Ghana’s lea...)
2004
Religion
Ghartey's family is a devoted Christian. His wife, Mrs. Efua Ghartey serves as the Chairperson of the Bible Society of Ghana and the Vice Chairperson of the Board of the United Bible Societies (UBS) which operates in over 200 countries.
Politics
John ghartey was inspired to join the Party in 1992 because the Party espoused strong values that he shares personally - Freedom, Democracy, Respect for Human Rights and the Rule of Law as well as Private Sector Development; a philosophy which is very dear to his heart
Views
Quotations:
"A strong economy hinges on strong businesses. Strong businesses must of necessity have strong legal foundations".
Personality
Joe Ghartey is a philanthropist and supports many causes he personally believes in. He is also an avid reader and an accomplished author. He is currently working on various scholarly projects which will see print in due course.
Physical Characteristics:
He is Black
Interests
Sport & Clubs
Soccer
Connections
He his married, and has five children.
Father:
Joseph Ghartey
Mother:
Lauraine Ghartey née Daniels
Wife:
Efua Ghartey
colleague:
Nana Akufo-Addo
References
Atta Akyea, Joe Ghartey named in ministerial list | Ghana News
The Member of Parliament for the Abuakwa South constituency, Samuel Atta Akyea, has made it unto Nana Akufo-Addo’s ministerial list, and would be expected to head the Ministry of Works and Housing if approved by Parliament.