Sherry Ayittey

Sherry Ayitey

human

Sex anaa gender	female
Country wey e be citizen	Ghana
Given name	Sherry
Date of birth	1948
Date of death	22 July 2023
Sibling	George Ayittey, Cecilia Johnson
Languages dem dey speak, wrep anaa sign	English
Occupation	politician
Position dem hold	Minister for Health of Ghana
Political party ein member	National Democratic Congress

Hanny Sherry Ayittey (dem born am on 8 February 1948 – 22 July 2023) bi a Ghanaian biochemist, politician den women ein activist. She bi Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development. She bi de Minister for Health from February 2013 to June 2014. Na she bi Minister for Environment, Science and Technology from 2009 to 2012.

Early life den education

Ayittey bi born on 8 February 1948. After graduating from Labone Secondary School insyd Accra as a member of the 1965–1967 year group, she attend de Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, den de University of Science and Technology (UST), den earned a Bachelor of Science insyd Biochemistry den Master of Science insyd industrial microbiology. Na she bi san a fellow of American universities of management, namely, Johns Hopkins University insyd Baltimore den Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University. Ayittey na dey involve insyd non-governmental organisation activities insyd Ghana. Insyd February 2013, she attend a leadership programme forHarvard University.

Career

Na Ayittey dey serve as de managing director of Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC) Distilleries. She san serve for several management boards insyd Ghana including de Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation rydee ebi Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Ghana Forestry Commission, National Population Council and Ghana Export Promotion Council.

Ayittey bi Ghana ein lead of delegation to Conference of Parties (COP) of de United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification den United Nations Convention on Biodiversity among others.

Ayitey bi an attendant for de International Conference for Women in Beijing, China den de Africa Global Initiative Conference, Tokyo, Japan. Na she san bi fellow of de Institute of Directors, United Kingdom, den a member of de Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Ghana.

Politics

Ayittey bi a founding member of de National Democratic Congress (NDC). Na she serve insyd several roles within de party den insyd government, serving as a women ein activist, a minister of state den a National Vice-chairperson.

Minister of Environment, Science and Technology

Bilateral meeting between Sherry Ayittey den IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano at de IAEA 55th General Conference insyd 2011

After de 2008 presidential election, President John Atta Mills appoint Ayittey as Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, wey she bi member of his 19-minister cabinet insyd January 2009. During ein tenure she gey to work along plus de Ministry of Energy wey edey ensure Ghana ein first drill of oil den gas. She lead de ministry to ensure dat all environmental hazards gey been taken into consideration. She san lead de ministry insyd drawing an oil den gas master plan along plus de Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to integrate environmental management, health den safety den community issues into petroleum sector operations to ensure sustainable development. She represent President Atta Mills for de 2nd Commission Meeting of COMSATS insyd April 2012, where de President wey dey appoint de chairperson for de commission.

Ayittey serve as de chairperson give de United Nations Commission on Science and Technology (Geneva) den de African Regional Centre on Technology (Dakar). Na she san bi a member of ECOWAS Board, Economic Community of West African States Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) den she san bi a Council Member of de Global Environment Facility (GEF), Washington.

Minister of Health

Insyd January 2013, President John Mahama appoint am as Minister for Health taking over from Alban Bagbin. She repp Ghana at international forums den conferences during her tenure, including de 66th World Health Assembly, insyd wey she bi one of de keynote speakers at de assembly on climate change den air pollution.

Ayittey plus Lordina Mahama at GAVI Alliance HPV event meet up with de Baroness Northover insyd June 2014.

Whilst serving as Ghana ein Health Minister, she make calls at de 2013 National Family planning week celebration insyd Ho, Volta Region, on de need for de Ghana Education Service (GES) to introduce de teaching for family planning insyd schools to enable de adolescents to understand den know more about demma reproductive health. De youth ein lack of knowledge on reproductive health den family planning bi consider a major contributing factor to de high incidences of teenage pregnancy insyd Ghana, den bi hope dat de introduction of these topics insyd de curriculum would reduce de stigma associated with reproductive health. She san state dat traditional authorities den religious leaders should regularly bring insyd experts insyd family planning den reproductive health wey come for sensitise demma communities on dese issues.

During ein tenure as health minister, she san consider eye-care as a critical aspect of ensuring a healthy nation, wey lead to an initiative for de distribution of eye-glasses insyd collaboration plus de Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) to people living insyd rural communities insyd Ghana. Insyd 2014, as de Minister of Health, she advocate for de training of more ophthalmologists insyd Ghana since dem bi only 74 train ophthalmologists nationwide.

Minister of Fisheries den Aquaculture

On 9 June 2014, dem reassign Ayitey by President Mahama to de Ministry of Fisheries den Aquaculture.

NDC national vice-chairperson

Insyd 2000, Ayittey become de national vice-chairman give de NDC. Insyd 2018, Ayittey declare ein intention say she go stand for de national vice-chairmanship position for de NDC. She stand plus Awudu Sofo Asorka, Said Sinare, Yaw Owusu Obimpeh, Adu-Yeboah, Amadu Bukari Sorogho, Seth Ofosu-Ohene, Sumaila Mahama den Kwame Ampofo. She campaigne den declare ein decision say she go stand for de position wey ebi on de agenda say "Rebuild, Reposition den Regain de party values den principles among ein grassroots base towards de 2020 Ghana elections." She succeed insyd her bid to become a member of de party ein national executive committee after de elections on 18 November 2018, dem vote give am so say she go serve as one of de three vice chairpersons for de party insyd, plus Awudu Sofo Asorka serving as 1st Vice, wey she serve as 2nd Vice den Said Sinare as 3rd Vice.

31 December Women's Movement

Ayittey bi involve with 31 December Women's Movement, a non governmental organisation wey ebi affiliate to de NDC, wey ein president bi Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, wife of de late Jerry Rawlings, former President of Ghana. She san serve as de treasurer den project den budget coordinator for de organisation.

Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) trial

After de NDC lose de Ghanaian presidential election insyd December 2000, de New Patriotic Party come to power plus John Kufuor forming ein government. Various NDC activists stand trial for different reasons. Dem Ayitey put on trial plus Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings insyd de relation to de divestiture of de Ghana Rubber Estates Limited. Na Ayitey bi member of de Divestiture Implementation Committee. She challenge de High Court ein decision for her to open ein defence. However, de Court of Appeal turn down ein request den biss say she for open ein defence insyd de High Court.

Giving evidence for de court under cross-examination, Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC), den one of de three accuse persons talk say during ein tenure of office, Ayitey, treasurer of 31 December Women's Movement no dey approach him say go seek any favours on behalf of SIPH. She deny all allegations against am insyd de GREL trial. At de end of de trial on 21 April 2005, de Court rule say de Prosecution fail say ego prove ein case beyond all reasonable doubts against Ayittey den Agbodo, den, therefore, free them.

Personal life

Ayittey ein elder brother bi de economist George Ayittey. Ein older sister bi former Local Government & Rural Development Minister Cecilia Johnson.

Ayittey die on 22 July 2023, at age 75. Several politicians den members of de general public pay tribute give her for social media den traditional media. Former President John Mahama describe ein death as a shocking loss, wey ein party, de National Democratic Congress, describe am as a sudden den unexpected blow. Dey go on go describe am as a party stalwart wey ein contributions to nation building span a generation insyd Ghana ein history.

Honours den recognition

Insyd 1990, Ayittey bi adjudge de Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIM) Marketing Woman of de Year.

San see

• List of Mills government ministers
• National Democratic Congress

External links and sources

• Sherry Ayitey on Ghana Government website