Ferdinand K. D. Goka Explained

Ferdinand K. D. Goka
Office1:Minister for Finance[1]
Term Start1:8 May 1961
Term End1:1964
President1:Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
Predecessor1:Komla Agbeli Gbedemah
Successor1:Kwesi Amoako-Atta[2]
Office2:Minister for Trade[3]
Term Start2:1 July 1960
Term End2:8 May 1961
President2:Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
Predecessor2:Patrick Kwame Kusi Quaidoo
Successor2:Lawrence Rosario Abavana
Office3:Regional Commissioner for the Volta Region
Term Start3:June 1959
Term End3:June 1960
President3:Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
Successor3:Francis Yao Asare
Office4:Member of Parliament
for Adidome[4]
Term Start4:1965
Term End4:February 1966
Office5:Member of Parliament
for Central Tongu[5]
Term Start5:1956
Term End5:1965
Successor5:Constituency abolished
Birth Date:1919 11, df=y
Birth Name:Ferdinand Koblavi Dra Goka
Birth Place:Mafi Anfoe, Ghana
Death Date:2007
Death Place:Mafi Anfoe, Ghana
Citizenship:Ghana
Alma Mater:Akropong Presbyterian Training College

Ferdinand Koblavi Dra Goka (1919-2007) was a Ghanaian teacher and politician. He was a Volta Regional minister, and as Ghana's second finance minister during the first republic.[6] He is often credited as the man who changed the name of Trans Volta Togoland to the Volta Region.[7]

Early life and education

Goka was born on 7 November 1919 to Reverend F. D. Goka[8] at Mafi Anfoe in the Volta Region.He was educated at Evangelical Presbyterian Church (E. P. C.) Middle School in Hohoe where he obtained his Cambridge School Certificate in 1941. He went on to study at the Akropong Presbyterian Training College from 1943 to 1944. He entered the Ewe Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Ho and qualified as a catechist.[9]

Career and politics

After his basic education Goka was employed as a pupil teacher in 1934 at his hometown Mafi Anfoe in the Volta Region. After qualifying as a Certificate A Grade I teacher he took an appointment at the Keta Presbyterian Middle School in January 1946. He resigned his teaching appointment in June 1948 and took office as the Assistant Education Secretary of Anlo-Tongu District Education Committee.[9]

Goka later ventured politics and in June 1954 he was elected member of the legislative assembly and that same year he was appointed Minesterial Secretary (deputy minister) for the Ministry of Health.[10] [11] [12] He was appointed Regional Commissioner for the Volta Region in June 1959 and, on 1 July 1960, he became the Minister for Trade. On 8 May 1961, he was appointed Minister for Finance[9] and later that year, the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Finance were merged. On 1 October 1961, he became the Minister for Trade and Finance. He worked in that capacity until 1964 when he was replaced by Kwesi Amoako Atta.[2]

Death and tribute

He died in 2007, aged 86 or 88. Togbe Kwasinyi Agyeman IV, the Fia (Chief) of Adidome, described him as "the greatest son of Mafiland" in his funeral tribute.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation . 17 . 1963.
  2. Web site: Ghana Year Book . Graphic Corporation . 20 . 1966.
  3. Web site: Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation . 11 . 1961.
  4. Web site: Ghana Year Book . Graphic Corporation . 24 . 1966.
  5. Web site: Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation . 15 . 1961.
  6. Web site: Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation . 30 . 1962.
  7. Web site: Ghana: "The Greatest Son of Mafiland" Laid to Rest . AllAfrica . 23 September 2019.
  8. Web site: West Africa, Issues 3600–3616 . West Africa Publishing Company Limited . 2057 . 1998.
  9. Web site: Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation . 206 . 1962.
  10. Web site: Debates, Part 2 . Information Section, Ghana Office . 254 . 1956.
  11. Web site: Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation . 7 . 1957.
  12. Web site: Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation . 9 . 1958.