Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah
From a humble beginning to a greater height, Emmanuel at seven lost his father, who was the sole breadwinner. He was a postmaster.
After his demise, what he left behind was a government bungalow in which he, his siblings, and dear mother were staying.
Later, they were asked to evacuate the building. He and his siblings' fate was left in the hands of his uneducated mother to see to it they had a proper upbringing.
The visible turbulence of nature started to take shape in their lives as Aya, their widow mother, had to through petty trading, see to it that they never stopped schooling. Through tooth and nail, Aya had provided for their daily meals, shelter, clothes, and education.
Despite being uneducated, she took responsibility for their education and homework. That was how she guided Emmanuel and his siblings through life in Atuabo in the Western Region.
Surprisingly, little Emmanuel never knew that his mother was uneducated until he was much older.
Loving and caring to her utmost best, the only interest Aya was inclined to be their academic welfare. This is the type of mother every child would be lucky to have under a fatherless circumstance. She was everything in a mother and everything about the future of her children. The kind of angel God gifted to the late Mr. Armah, the father of Emmanuel.
Thankfully, the hustle and bustle of life his mother underwent, imbibed discipline in him and his siblings, which got him inspired to the level he has reached by far. Emmanuel's success path was indeed crafted by his uneducated mother, who many times went to bed with an empty stomach. Therefore, the responsibility was for Emmanuel not to fail his mother, but to become who he has become today.
The generous and humble Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah was born on 10th May 1966. He is a native of Atuabo. He is a Christian and married with two children. Furthermore, he attended Nkroful Agricultural Senior Secondary School in the Ellembele district in the Western region. Likewise, he holds a law degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and a Master of Science in Management from the University of Maryland, University College in the United States.
Not only that, but he spent many years in the United States as a Postmaster(US Postal Service) until he became a member of Parliament for the Ellembele constituency after defeating Mr. Freddy Blay who was nicknamed Ellembele Mugabe for his long stay in Parliament at the time. Furthermore, it took Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah a lot of energy, money, and time to defeat him in the 2008 parliamentary election.
Due to his love and passion for development in the Ellembele constituency, he started putting the district in good shape after he was made the deputy energy minister in 2009 by the Mills/Mahama NDC administration. Since becoming MP to date (4th term), an avalanche of developments has been widespread in the Ellemble district. Notably among them is the extension of electricity to almost all parts of the constituency.
The extension of electricity to the Anyinasi North of his constituency was troubling to him, as he was pulled to the court by the forestry Commission of the district because the contractor had to cut down some trees to enable them to pass electric polls and cables through the forest to that enclave of the constituency. However, by the grace of God, nothing could stop him from facilitating the process of extending electricity to the good inhabitants of the Anyinasi North.
Being a member of Parliament for Ellembelle Constituency, an illustrious son of the Nzema land, and a development chief, he facilitated the establishment of the Ghana Gas Plant in Atuabo so that it opened up the industrialization drive from that business enclave as a hub of gas production to create jobs for the people and also development for the area. The gas plant is the first of its kind in Ghana because it has saved the country 40 million dollars quarterly in the importation of gas. It also serves as a revenue basket for the government.
Many schools, roads, boreholes, health facilities, etc. are built due to the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Ghana Gas Company. That is precisely the derivative of the establishment of the company through the facilitation of Hon Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah had sent development to his constituency and continues to do so.
The district has become the hub for industries to create jobs and development with establishments of ENI, QUANTUM, and many others.
As a minister for Petroleum in 2013, Hon Emmanuel Armah-Kof Buah facilitated new oil discoveries. Out of the 24 oil discoveries, 23 were under the NDC government.
It is without qualms that Hon Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah was honored at the Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours for his achievements as former Minister for Energy and Petroleum from 2013 to 2016.
Why was he honoured? He was honoured for his facilitation in the enactment of the Petroleum Management Act, Act 815, Petroleum Local Content and Local Participation Regulation, 2013, LI 2204, and the establishment of the Petroleum Commission among others, which undoubtedly have become the pillar of the petroleum industry.
Profoundly, the levels of development in his constituency have been monumental. The roads in Esiama, Ayinansi, Atuabo, Nkroful, Menzizor, etc. have been tarred. Street lighting is phenomenal in all the major streets in these communities. Furthermore, his ability to facilitate the construction of a road connecting Anyinasi South and Anyansi North has been a major success. Now, cocoa farmers can easily carry their produce from the farms to sell.
The constructions of schools, clinics, places of public convenience, boreholes, etc. are some of the many reasons why Hon Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah was enstooled as a Development Chief by the chiefs of his constituency.
Without any scintilla of doubt, the many wonderful things he's done are why Hon Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah was appointed deputy minority leader in the 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. He is the ranking member of the Trade and Industry, member of the Mines and Energy Committee, and member of the Privileges Committee.
The legislator, who is nicknamed as 'Action Man' is experienced, humbled, and affable.
The Aya Community Centre is named after his dearest mother who single-handedly took care of his education after the demise of his father despite being uneducated. And so, the core mandate of the centre is to cater to the less privileged and vulnerable people within the Ellembele District. The elderly are fed with hot meals, have access to medical care, and are supported financially. As a philanthropist and a legislator, he aspires to overcome some challenges the majority of his constituents face, especially the elderly who are but unfortunately abandoned to their fate. However, since, unlike the West where the aged are cared for, in Africa and, for that matter, Ghana, many of them are suffering needlessly due to neglect by family or poverty.
The Aya Community Centre is one of its kind in Ghana. That, a politician has established for the seek of the underprivileged. The vision behind its establishment is to as much as possible soon it can address the challenges of the aged beyond the Ellembelle Constituency.
The humble, affable, and philanthropic NDC minority leader Hon Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year!!!
God protect and bless your steps.