Samia Yaba Christina Nkrumah is one of the present day famous Ghanaian politicians. she is the chairperson of the Convention People's Party. In the 2008 parliamentary election, she won the Jomoro constituency seat at her first attempt. She is a daughter of renowned Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana.
Background
Ethnicity:
Her father is of Ghanaian heritage, while mother was Egyptian
Samia Yaba Christina Nkrumah was born on the 23rd of June, 1960 at Aburi in the Eastern Region of Ghana into the family of Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana. She is the first daughter of her family. She was compelled to leave Ghana with her mother and siblings following the 1966 military coup that overthrew her father, Kwame Nkrumah. The family were resettled in Egypt by the Egyptian government. After spending almost a decade in Egypt, she returned with her family to Ghana at the invitation of General Acheampong's National Redemption Council government.
Education
Samia Nkrumah had her early education at Achimota School, after returning from Egypt. However, she left the country again when her mother decided to return to Egypt in the early 1980s. Samia proceeded to London, later completing her studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London in the United Kingdom, where she obtained the degree of Bachelor Arabic Studies in 1991. She also completed a Master's degree at the same institution in 1993.
After completing her studies, Samia stayed back in London and worked as a bank clerk with the London branch of the Bank of India in 1984. Later, she worked with Al-Ahram as a journalist in various capacities starting from 1989.
During the course of her career, Samia developed interest in politics, and was made the Chairperson of the Convention People's Party on the 10th of September, 2011. She contested the Jomoro constituency seat in the Western Region of Ghana and beat the incumbent MP, Lee Ocran of the National Democratic Congress with a majority of 6,571, winning about 50% of the total valid votes cast.
In January 2016, she contested alongside three other candidates to be the flag bearer and presidential candidate for the 2016 National Elections. She lost out, coming second to Ivor Greenstreet.
During the 2012 election, she lost her Jomoro parliamentary seat to the NDC contestant, Wing Commander Francis Anaman, a retired military officer of the Ghana Airforce.
She became the first female to chair a major political party in the country.
Works
publication
She built a two unit children's day nursery at Mangyea with money from Common Fund/LEAP.
Samia used Common Fund/LEAP money to build a 2-unit classroom block at Tikobo.
she used Common Fund/LEAP money to build a 3 unit classroom with office and store at Bonyere.
She used Common Fund/LEAP money to build an ICT centre at Benyin.
She used Common Fund/LEAP money to purchase and distribute 900 Knapsack spraying machines all over Jomoro.
Samia used Common Fund/LEAP money to purchase and distribute cutlasses, Wellington boots and other farming equipments to communities in her constituency.
Samia used Common Fund/LEAP money to establish a Women's Enterprise Centre at Kengen.
She distributed over 400 bags of cement to communities, purchased with Common Fund/LEAP money.
Samia provided mowing machines to several communities purchased with Common Fund/LEAP money.
Samia donated a desk top computer and printer to the District Police Command in Half Assini purchased with Common Fund/LEAP money.
Samia contributed over Ghc3000 towards the establishment of an educational trust fund in Tikobo 1.
Samia provided 20 pieces of roofing sheets to AhobreFante community.
Samia donated xxxplastic chairs to Atwebanso Chief's Palace.
Samia constructed market centre at Elubo with funds from the Common Fund/LEAP.
Samia built a market centre at Egbazo with funds from the Common Fund/LEAP.
Samia used Common Fund /LEAP money to repair and got defunct water pipes and systems functioning again in the Constituency.
Samia extended good drinking water to several communities such as, Takinta and Wharf
She constructed a rest stop at Nyamenle Kwame
Samia established Quick One Micro Finance Company with head office at Half Assini and branches in Tikobo and Newtown.
Samia established a Scholarship Scheme that sponsored over 500 students at secondary, tertiary and professional institutions.
(She built a two unit children's day nursery at Mangyea wi...)
Religion
Samia Nkrumah is a personality that rarely expresses her religious beliefs to the public. She never allow are religious background interfere with are relationship with people. Her mother is a Coptic Egyptian Christian.
Politics
With the courage she has to go into politics, and triumphing as a leader, she is seen as the Yaa Asantewaa of our Time. In an article about her, entitled "The new Mandela is a woman", the Huffington Post describes and analyses her impact on Ghanaian and African politics. She is one of the founders of Africa Must Unite, which aims to promote Kwame Nkrumah's vision and political culture. As part of this philosophy, she decided to go into active politics in Ghana.
Her appetite for political power is on a rise, as she eyes the presidency. Samia aspires to be Ghana's first female president hence campaigning vigorously to become the CPP's Presidential Candidate in the upcoming General Elections in November 2016.
Views
Quotations:
“The thrust of Nkrumah's economic policy was to make Ghana productive and increase the countries manufacturing capacity because that is the only way jobs can be provided to the majority of the people.”
“it goes without saying that Kwame Nkrumah is the founder of modern Ghana.”
"The dream of my father which can be described as “Nkrumaism' envisaged a united continent consisting of self-sufficient industrialised African nations that are capable of providing for the basic necessities to all her citizens."
"This Country is fertile and very rich, but we export all the resources, and the export prices are fixed by others. […] Our riches slip through our fingers without creating jobs. All that we consume is imported. The GDP grows because we have natural resources and we’ve been having stability and alternation of power for some years. Yet the resources are exploited by foreigners. Right-wing or left-wing governments don’t change much: excessive laissez-faire and corruption. Meanwhile, the educational system and healthcare system are sinking. The Western world sees us as a model. Is this what democracy looks like?"
Personality
She is described as one of the few determined minds who persevere and fight against all odds to run for political offices.
Physical Characteristics:
She is Mulatto. Her father is from the Black race while mother is Egyptian
Quotes from others about the person
Prof Edmund Delle, CPP Chairman: “I personally don’t believe that Nkrumah left the party for his children alone.”
UN Women: “Women's political participation is a fundamental prerequisite for gender equality and genuine democracy. It facilitates the direct engagement of women in public decision-making and a means of ensuring better accountability to women."
Interests
Writers
Africa Must Unite Ghana: The Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah, FORWARD EVER, KWAME NKRUMAH: A BIOGRAPHY
