Opinion By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.
Collins Owusu Amankwah; A Forgotten Hero Or Sacrificial Lamb In NPP?
Background and Profile:
Having served as polling station executive at age 18 in 1998, the young Collins Owusu Amankwah, a native of Gyinase, a famous town in the Asokwa Municipality of Ashanti continued to perform dual roles d3espite the assigned one by the party.
This selfless sacrifice by the man many describe as a true patriot and party man continued even when he was General Manager of All Friends FM in Kumasi as he became the face of the party’s communications wing representing the party on almost all radio stations in Kumasi and defending the cause of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
It was therefore not surprising that the Krofrom boy was elected as youth organiser of the then Manhyia Constituency after the 2008 general elections.
Political Journey:
Working so hard and taking on many responsibilities despite the youth organiser position he occupied, God’s grace found him in 2011 when he was elected Manhyia North Constituency parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) when backed by the Local Government Act, the Electoral Commission (EC) demarcated the then Manhyia Constituency into North and South.
And in the 2012 general elections, Collins Owusu Amankwah who had just turned some few years after age 30 won a famous victory in the Parliamentary elections polling over 76, 000 votes to win the seat for the NPP and thus becoming the first elected member of Parliament for the area.
Parliamentary Experience and Exploits:
Representing the party well in Parliament and going through the rudiments of enacting laws and raising issues that bordered on youth employment, empowerment and security, young Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah was recognised by the Pan African Youth Parliament as an icon and participated in many conferences in South Africa and the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 to help push the youth agenda forward.
Once again grace of God smiled on him and despite the serious competition he faced from two other brothers of his, Akwasi Konadu and Nana Osei Bamfo, Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah won again the mandate to represent the NPP as its parliamentary candidate in the 2015 primaries in the area.
Political Journey:
Working so hard and taking on many responsibilities despite the youth organiser position he occupied, God’s grace found him in 2011 when he was elected Manhyia North Constituency parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) when backed by the Local Government Act, the Electoral Commission (EC) demarcated the then Manhyia Constituency into North and South.
And in the 2012 general elections, Collins Owusu Amankwah who had just turned some few years after age 30 won a famous victory in the Parliamentary elections polling over 76, 000 votes to win the seat for the NPP and thus becoming the first elected member of Parliament for the area.
Parliamentary Experience and Exploits:
Representing the party well in Parliament and going through the rudiments of enacting laws and raising issues that bordered on youth employment, empowerment and security, young Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah was recognised by the Pan African Youth Parliament as an icon and participated in many conferences in South Africa and the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 to help push the youth agenda forward.
Once again grace of God smiled on him and despite the serious competition he faced from two other brothers of his, Akwasi Konadu and Nana Osei Bamfo, Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah won again the mandate to represent the NPP as its parliamentary candidate in the 2015 primaries in the area.
In the ensuing parliamentary election, energetic Collins Owusu Amankwah won the parliamentary seat again for the NPP and pushed the then candidate Akufo-Addo to win a first round presidential election in 2016 to form a government from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) stock.
International Positions and Exposure:
Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah was a member of the Ecowas Parliament from 2018 to 2021.
He was appointed the rapporteur on Health Committee of the ECOWAS Parliament from 2018 to January 2021.
The former MP was a Board Member of the Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service (GRATIS) Foundation from 2018 to 6th January 2021.
He was Vice chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament from 2018 to 6th January 2021.
He was Vice Chairman Government Assurance Committee of Parliament of Ghana 🇬🇭.
He was Member and Secretary to the Public Relations and Information Management (PRIM) of Ashanti NPP and served from 2006 to 2008 where he worked alongside persons like Sam Pyne, Prince David Osei of blessed memory and Kwesi Kyei, former director of communications for Ashanti NPP. PRIM was in 2008 redesigned as the Communications Wing of the Party.
Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah in 2008 was in charge of Tescon branches in Teacher Training Colleges for the general elections.
Academics and Laurels:
The former MP holds Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Philosophy from the University of Ghana 🇬🇭, Legon.
A LLB Degree from GIMPA Law School and Masters in Security and Conflict Management from the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Traing Center (KAIPTC).
Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah also holds a certificate of Management from the Bournemouth University Disaster Management Center, UK 🇬🇧 .
He has certificate in Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context, Cranfield University, United Kingdom 🇬🇧.
Awarded certificate in Public Financial Manager Systems (PFMS), University Place Charlotte , North Carolina, USA 🇺🇸.
He also holds a Diploma in Computer Software as well as many others.
Sacrifices:
In the lead up to 2020 general elections, Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah after a meeting with the then candidate AKUFO-ADDO who was then seeking a second term mandate decided to work as Operations Director for the group “Aspirants Unite For Victory”, criss-crossing the tortuous roads and routes of the country to shore up support for the NPP presidential candidate.
But surprisingly despite the sucess of the NPP in the 2020 elections, Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah was not given a look having been tipped to head the Ghana Maritime Authority or the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly as Chief Executive.
Undaunted however, Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah became the face of the NPP when he decided to lead the campaign by the President to whip up interests to make local Assemblies partisan and the Chief Executive positions an electable one.
Commitment:
Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah again against all odds decided to become the lead advocate for the introduction of the electronic transactions levy which is popularly called E-levy and this vigorous campaign of his got many convinced in Ashanti Region particularly to accept the introduction of the then unpopular tax.
Attributes:
Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah exudes humility in character and confidence in his work.
He is bold, firm, compassionate and industrious and with his background and education can work and manage state agencies and institutions with profuse efficiency and effectiveness.
Accomplishments and Opinion.
Having been the first two term MP, Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah is credited for the uplifting standards of education in the Manhyia North Constituency having diligently invested funds in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and other teaching modules.
He is known to have superintended over the construction of school blocks, water projects in the communities under the constituency including the construction and asphalting of its access routes.
The people in the community also remembers him for his passion for youth development, access to good health and the training of the Islamic youth and children in formal education as well as the investments in sports and recreation.
It is therefore the talking point of many residents and many others that what more could this man do beyond what he has already achieved to get the Nana Akufo-Addo government to reward the experienced and intelligent man with a position as Chief Executive of one of these state agencies and enterprises!
Well…they say time tells the best of stories and we wait to see if this fantastic patriot, committed and dedicated party man, Hon Collins Owusu Amankwah would get any government appointment to show for his heroics and sacrifice!
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