Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, born on 3 October 1955, is a distinguished Ghanaian politician with a wealth of experience in various roles. He notably served as Ghana’s Minister for Trade and Industry from 2017 to 2023. Before this, Kyerematen held key positions such as Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States and Minister of Trade and Industry, Private Sector Development, and Presidential Special Initiatives during President John Kufuor’s tenure.
Additionally, he contributed his expertise as a trade advisor at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he played a pivotal role in coordinating the African Trade Policy Centre. Throughout his career, Kyerematen has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing trade and economic development in Africa.
EARLY LIFE
Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen was born on Monday, 3 October 1955, to Alexander Atta Yaw Kyerematen, a social anthropologist from Patasse, Kumasi, and Victoria Kyerematen (née Welsing) from Elmina and Ejisu. He was named after an archbishop in the Church of England, Alan John Knight who was the headmaster of the all-boys Anglican boarding school, Adisadel College in Cape Coast in the 1930s, and a mentor to his father, Alexander A. Y. Kyerematen who was then a student there and later, a head boy in his final year.
In 1951, his father was the founder and first director of the Centre for National Culture located in Kumasi of the Ashanti Region later on, he was appointed the mayor of Kumasi and then Commissioner for local government between 1966 and 1969 during the National Liberation Council regime. Like his father before him, Alan Kyerematen attended Adisadel College for his secondary education, entering the institution at the record age of nine years after starting at the Asokore Mampong Secondary School now Kumasi Academy.
He attended Achimota School afterward for his sixth-form education. He proceeded to the University of Ghana, Legon for a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He also holds a law degree and LLB from the Ghana Law School at the same university where he qualified as a barrister-at-law. He was called to the bar in Ghana and is a practicing attorney-at-law in Ghana.
In addition, he is a Hubert Humphrey fellow of the School of Management at the University of Minnesota, U.S., having completed one year of management studies under the Fulbright Fellowship program at that institution.
CORPORATE CAREER
Alan John Kyerematen boasts an extensive career in both the private and public sectors, spanning over twenty-four years. He began as a junior manager at Unilever International in Ghana at the age of twenty-two, eventually becoming the youngest manager at the company. Additionally, he served as a principal consultant and head of Public Systems Management at the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) in Ghana.
In 1998, Kyerematen was appointed as the first regional director of Enterprise Africa by the UNDP, overseeing the development and promotion of small and medium enterprises across thirteen Sub-Saharan African countries. Through his efforts, over 4,000 African entrepreneurs and small businesses have benefited from various programs. Furthermore, Kyerematen established and managed the EMPRETEC Programme in Ghana, which evolved into an independent foundation under his leadership. His contributions to both the private and public sectors have been significant, showcasing his dedication and expertise in fostering economic growth and development.
In the year 1994, Kyerematen was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 influential leaders worldwide for the sector millennium. This esteemed list included notable figures such as Bill Gates, John F. Kennedy Jr., and several others.
DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE
Kyerematen served as Ghana’s ambassador to the U.S. during the NPP’s tenure from 2001 to 2003. Additionally, he held the position of trade advisor at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Notably, he led the African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC), an institution established by the ECA to enhance the trade policies and negotiation capabilities of African governments at various levels.
Furthermore, Kyerematen played a crucial role as a member of the technical team that provided strategic guidance and support to the African Union Commission in developing an Action Plan for Boosting intra-African Trade and establishing a Continental Free Trade Area. In this capacity, he was appointed as a Special Envoy of the African Union to engage in consultations with selected African Heads of State before the 18th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in January 2012.
In recognition of his expertise and contributions, Ghana nominated Kyerematen for the position of WTO Director-General on 17 December 2012. Although his candidature received the endorsement of the Africa Union (AU), he did not ultimately make it to the final shortlist for the position, succeeding Pascal Lamy, whose term ended on 31 August 2013.
PARTY ADVOCACY
Kyerematen has played a pivotal role as one of the key strategists of the NPP since its establishment in 1992. He is not only a founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but has also been actively involved in the highest decision-making bodies of the NPP, both during opposition and in Government.
He has been a longstanding member of the NPP National Executive Committee, serving from 1992 to 2001, and has contributed significantly to the Economic Management Team and Finance Committee of the NPP. Additionally, he is a Founding Member of the Young Executive Forum (YEF), a youth advocacy and lobby group within the Party. During his tenure as Chairman of YEF from 1992 to 2001, he embodied the values and aspirations of the new generation of party leaders.
Kyerematen stands out as one of the few individuals who have maintained membership of the National Executive Committee for over a decade, serving under the leadership of various Chairpersons such as B.J. DaRocha, Peter Ala Adjetey, Samuel Odoi-Sykes, and Haruna Esseku. Due to his expertise in strategy development within the Party, he was appointed as a Member of the NPP/CPP Great Alliance Negotiating Team.
In his pursuit of leadership within the New Patriotic Party, Kyerematen contested in the presidential primaries in 2007, securing 32.30% of the votes. He emerged as the first runner-up to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who garnered 47.96% of the votes. Subsequently, he made additional attempts in 2010 and 2014, finishing as the second-place candidate in both instances. Despite these outcomes, Kyerematen has remained dedicated to the NPP and continues to contribute to the party’s growth and development.
CABINET MINISTER
In 2003, Alan Kyerematen assumed the role of Cabinet Minister overseeing Trade, Industry, and the President’s Special Initiatives (PSI), along with the additional responsibility for Private Sector Development (PSD). During his tenure, he led the creation and execution of innovative programs that have since become key drivers of growth for the Ghanaian economy. Notable achievements stemming from these initiatives include:
– The establishment of an $8.5 million cutting-edge factory producing high-quality industrial starch from cassava for export to various markets in Europe, Africa, and Asia. This initiative generated over 10,000 employment opportunities and introduced a novel approach to rural industry development through Corporate Village Enterprises. It also served as a blueprint for integrating developing nations into the global supply chain via industrial agro-processing. The first industrial starch company was recognized as a global supplier of premium starch to Nestle worldwide.
– The development of a multimillion-dollar enclave within the Tema Free Zone dedicated to garment manufacturing for export by Ghanaian entrepreneurs. This enclave is currently being expanded to accommodate facilities for Furniture Manufacturing and an ICT Park, transforming part of the Free Zones into a versatile Industrial Park.
– Key activities under these initiatives included the establishment of Export Trade Houses, the creation of a “Furniture City” in Tema for wood export product manufacturers, the setup of product galleries to promote locally-made goods, and the establishment of a Technology Innovation Center for Capital Goods Manufacturing.
– The successful revival of the Oil Palm industry in Ghana, marked by a significant increase in seedling production from 250,000 per year in 2001 to 4 million by the end of 2004, across twelve nursery sites. Additionally, a program was launched to cultivate over 102,000 hectares of Oil palm plantations.
He led the negotiation and development of bilateral trade and economic relations between the Government of Ghana and its major trading partners, including the UK, US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, China, Denmark, South Africa, Nigeria, etc. He had been a leading member of the NPP Government team promoting Ghana abroad and attracting and facilitating foreign direct investment into the country and has also been responsible for developing a comprehensive internal trade and import management portfolio aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of local products, promoting fair trade and protecting consumer interests as well as promoting Made-in-Ghana products through campaigns such as the highly successful “National Friday Wear” program.
Under his direction, a comprehensive Ghana Trade Policy was launched as a major plank in the government’s strategy for accelerating and sustaining economic growth and increasing incomes and employment. He led the process of preparing a $200-million implementation blueprint, called the Trade Sector Support Programme (TSSP), which was launched in October 2005.
He also negotiated a $45 million facility with the World Bank to promote small and medium enterprise development in Ghana. Another major achievement of Kyerematen was to develop the Trade Ministry into a professional service organization with the Ministry being restructured into strategic business units with an efficient program coordination and management system.
Additionally, as part of a government investment delegation, Alan Kyerematen was instrumental in the negotiation of the contract that led to the arrival of US start-up company, Kosmos Energy, to Ghana to explore and discover oil in commercial quantities. In May 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo named Alan Kyerematen as part of the nineteen ministers who would form his cabinet. The names of the 19 ministers were submitted to the Parliament of Ghana and announced by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Aaron Mike Oquaye.
RESIGNATION AS A CABINET MINISTER
On Saturday, January 7, 2023, Alan Kyeremanten announced on Twitter that he would be stepping down from his position as cabinet minister overseeing trade and industry, effective January 16. Reports suggest that he formally submitted his resignation to the presidency, which was subsequently accepted by President Akufo-Addo.
FLABEARERSHIP
Alan John Kyerematen made his official announcement to run for the NPP’s flagbearership on Wednesday, 11 January 2023. Following a successful vetting process on Monday, July 3, he secured third place with 95 votes, equivalent to 10.29% of the total votes cast. This achievement qualified him for the New Patriotic Party presidential primaries in November. However, on the 5th of September, he took to social media to declare his resignation from participating in his party’s national delegate congress scheduled for November 4, 2023.
RESIGNATION FROM NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY
Alan John Kyerematen, on Monday, 25 September 2023, made the decision to step down from his position within the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Furthermore, he also resigned from his role as the NPP’s flagbearer, effective immediately. His purpose for doing so is to pursue his aspirations as an independent presidential candidate under the banner of the Movement For Change in the upcoming 2024 Ghanaian general election, scheduled to take place in December. It is important to note that Mr. Kyerematen has expressed that his decision to run independently will not have any adverse impact on the NPP.
MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE
The call for change was sparked by Alan John Kyerematen’s departure from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to run as an independent candidate in the upcoming 2024 General Election. The symbol of our movement is the Monarch Butterfly, representing political transformation, hope, and positivity. It also embodies qualities such as strength, endurance, spirituality, and trust, which I value as a Political Leader. In Akan culture, it is referred to as Afrafranto. Our motto, “Ghana Will Rise Again,” signifies our belief in a brighter future for Ghana. The key pillars of our change agenda include breaking away from the political duopoly, advocating for a Government of National Unity, setting a National Development Agenda, and fostering positive behavioral change among the people of Ghana.
