NPP National Chairman Dies Aged 88

A former National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party, Harona Esseku, has died at the age of 88.

The NPP stalwart died on Wednesday, August 3, 2022.

Mr. Esseku was a Minister of Transport and Communications in the Second Republic.

A brief statement from his family said, “burial and funeral arrangements will be announced later.”

Harona Esseku (also Haruna, born 8 August 1934) is a Ghanaian politician; a minister of state in the second republic, and a founding member of the New Patriotic Party.

Early years and education

Harona Esseku was born in Krobonshie, Senya Beraku, in the Central Region.

He had his primary education at Senya Beraku Oma School and later proceeded to the Accra Academy, where he obtained his Cambridge school certificate. 

He attended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and continued to the University of Ghana, Legon, as a Texaco Scholar for a degree course in economics.

While at university he held the offices of President of the Commonwealth Hall Junior Common Room (JCR) in his second year and President of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) in his final year. 

He was also President of the International Association of Students in Science and Economics (AIESEC).

He began his career teaching Chemistry at his alma mater, the Accra Academy, in 1957. In 1958, he became the Higher Executive Officer in the office of the Government Statistician.

 He worked with the Pioneer Tobacco Company (British American Tobacco) in the marketing department as a sales promotion manager for the Brong Ahafo and the three northern regions.

He also started his own business, which has operated in transport, distribution, and commerce. He also has interests in fishing and farming.

Political career

His political career started in 1968 when he was elected by the Awutus, Effutus, Gomoas, and Agonas to represent them in the constituent assembly during the drafting of the constitution of the second republic. The Progress Party was founded in 1969 and Harona Esseku was one of the members.

In the elections that took place on 29 August that year, Harona Esseku was returned as a Member of Parliament for Awutu-Effutu-Senya Constituency.

At 35 years, Harona Esseku became the youngest Cabinet Minister in the Busia government, in charge of Transport and Communications; a ministry which by 2008 had been split into four Cabinet Ministries namely Transport; Communications, Civil Aviation, and Railways, and Harbours.

At the onset of the third republic he became a founding member of the Popular Front Party (PFP) and later a member of the steering committee of the party. In 1992 he was a founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He became chairman of the New Patriotic Party from 2001 to 2005.

He was married to Janet Esseku, a Ghanaian broadcaster who worked with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

Harona Esseku is a beneficiary of the member of the Order of the Star of Ghana award, conferred on him by the then-president John Agyekum Kufuor in 2007.