Paul Evans Aidoo (born 4 August 1958) is a Ghanaian teacher and politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Sefwi-Wiawso and is the Minister for the Western Region of Ghana.[1][2][3][4] Prior to heading the Western Region, he was the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister. He has been condemned for "promoting hatred" by Ghana's Centre for Popular Education and Human Rights after the minister urged people to report suspected homosexuals. "All efforts are being made to get rid of these people in the society," he said.[5]
Hon. Paul Evans Aidoo | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Ghana Parliament for Sefwi-Wiawso | |
| Assumed office Jan 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Isaac Kobina Nyame-Ofori |
| Western Region Minister | |
| In office Jan 2009 – Mar 2013 | |
| President | John Atta Mills |
| Preceded by | Evans A. Amoah |
| Succeeded by | Ebenezer Kwadwo Teye Addo |
| Brong-Ahafo Region Minister | |
| In office Mar 2013 – Mar 2014 | |
| President | John Dramani Mahama |
| Preceded by | Twumasi Marfo |
| Succeeded by | Kofi-Eric Opoku Manu |
| Western Region Minister | |
| Assumed office Mar 2014 | |
| President | John Dramani Mahama |
| Preceded by | Ebenezer Kwadwo Teye Addo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 August 1958 Sefwi-Ewiase, Ghana |
| Political party | National Democratic Congress |
| Children | 8 |
| Residence(s) | Sakumono Estate, Accra |
| Alma mater | Enchi Teacher Training College |
| Occupation | Teacher |
| Committees | Subsidiary Legislation Committee Local Government and Rural Development |
Early life and education
editPaul Aidoo was born on 4 August 1958 at Sefwi-Ewiase in the Sefwi-Wiawso District of the Western Region of Ghana. He studied privately for the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level in 1980. He attended the Enchi Teacher Training College between 1977 and 1981, qualifying with Teachers’ Certificate’A’.[6]
Career
editAidoo worked as a teacher between 1981 and 1985. He then worked with the National Mobilization Programme as a District Liaison Officer between 1985 and 1997. Between 1997 and 2001, he was a District Chief Executive with the Ministry of Local Government. From 2002 to 2004, he was a headmaster with the Ghana Education Service.[6]
Politics
editAidoo is a member of the National Democratic Congress and won the Sefwi-Wiawso seat in the Ghanaian parliamentary election in 2004.[7][8] He retained his seat in the 2008 election.[9] In 2009, he was appointed Western Regional Minister by the President of Ghana, John Atta Mills and in March 2013, he was appointed Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister then re-appointed as Western Regional Minister in March 2014 by the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama. In July 2011, he called for Ghana's Bureau of National Investigations to arrest all homosexuals in the Western Region and asked landlords and tenants to report suspected homosexuals.[10] He was reported as saying, "Once they have been arrested, they will be brought before the law". (A provision in the criminal code section of Ghana's 1992 constitution condemns "unnatural carnal knowledge". The constitution guarantees human rights "regardless of race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed or gender", but not sexuality).[11]
Personal life
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Wasted Twelve Years And A Hopeless Return: The Case Of Paul Evans Aidoo". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ "Ambassador Sun Baohong Met with Western Regional Minister". fmprc government of China. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ "HIV is not a death sentence – Minister". Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always. 10 December 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ "Minister blames collapse of SOEs on mismanagement". MyJoyOnline. 9 July 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ "Paul Evans Aidoo's Ghana gay spy call 'promotes hatred'". BBC News. 22 July 2011.
- ^ a b "Hon. Aidoo, Evans Paul". Parliament of Ghana. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
- ^ "Electoral Commission of Ghana Parliamentary Election Results" (PDF). Electoral Commission of Ghana. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
- ^ "NDC's Paul Evans Aidoo votes YES in Western North region referendum". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 27 December 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ "Parliamentary Results Sefwi Wiawso (Western Region)". Ghanaweb. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
- ^ Potts, Andrew M (21 July 2011). "Ghana cracks down on gays". Star Online. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
- ^ Smith, Alex Duval. "Ghana official calls for effort to 'round up' suspected gays" The Independent July 22, 2011
- ^ "Sefwi-Wiawso - Members of Parliament - Profile:Hon. Evans Paul Aidoo (NDC) (Sefwi Wiawso)". GhanaDistricts. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2010.