Nation mourns John Kumah; NPP flags to fly at half-mast for 7 days

A shocked nation has been mourning the death of Deputy Minister of Finance and MP for Ejisu, Dr John Ampontuah Kumah.

The President and government, parliament, politicians, his constituents and other sections of the society poured out their grief over the demise of the young politician, lawyer and entrepreneur.

The 45-year-old Dr Kumah died on Thursday, March 7 afte a short illness, according to family sources.
Tributes started to pour in just after the news of his demise broke.

President
Leading the tributes was President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who described the passing of the deputy minister as tragic. “I knew him very well both in my days as Leader of the Opposition and as President of the Republic, and his warmth, humility, and genuine concern for others endeared him to me and to all who crossed his path. His unwavering dedication to service, his tireless commitment to the betterment of our nation, and his profound passion for uplifting the lives of the people of Ejisu and Ghana were evident to all who had the privilege of knowing him,” the President stated.

Describing the late Dr Kumah as a stalwart of the New Patriotic Party in the Ejisu constituency, the President said he served with great enthusiasm and devotion as a Member of Parliament. “He was a Ghanaian patriot par excellence,” Akufo-Addo said.

Vice President
In his eulogy, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia stated, “ A truly committed member of our administration, and party, who dedicated his all to the success of our endeavours. Rest well, John.”

NPP
The NPP, in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong expressed sadness at the loss of the deputy minister. In honour of his memory, the party has directed that all party flags fly at half-mast for the next seven days.

Energy Minister
Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said, “ A big blow to the New Patriotic Party and Government. My sincere commiserations to his wife, children and the entire family. Rest in the bosom of the Lord JK!”

Lands Minister
In his tribute, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor said, “ This is hard! Rest well my brother. May your soul rest in perfect peace.”

Parliament
Proceedings in Parliament were suspended yesterday when the death of the Ejisu MP reached the Speaker, Alban Bagbin. The Speaker called the Majority and Minority leaders into his office and after some 10 minutes returned to the chamber to announce the death, and immediately adjourned proceedings for the day.

Minority Leader
The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, expressed sadness over the demise of his colleague. In a brief statement at the NDC headquarters, he expressed shock at the unexpected loss, and added that the Minority would issue a detailed statement later.

Ministry of Finance
In a Facebook post, the Ministry of Finance said the news of his death left it with a heavy heart. “With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our Deputy Minister for Finance and MP for Ejisu Constituency, Dr John Ampontuah Kumah. May he rest well in the Lord.”

Profile
Dr Kumah served as the first Chief Executive Officer for the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), where he played a crucial role in positioning NEIP as a key player in Ghana’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Under his leadership, NEIP trained 7,000 startups in 2018 through the Presidential Business Support Programme and provided financial support to 1,350 beneficiaries.

Before his government role, Dr Kumah was a founding member and Managing Partner of Aduaprokye Chambers, a law firm, and also established Majak Associates Ltd, a building and construction company.

In addition to his professional achievements, Dr Kumah was recognized for his educational accomplishments, including a Doctorate in Business Innovation from the Swiss Business School in Switzerland and a Masters in Applied Business Research.

He also held an Executive Masters’ degree in Business Administration (Finance) from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

Dr Kumah attended Opoku Ware School and continued at the University of Ghana, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with Philosophy and Law, followed by admission to the Ghana Bar in 2013.