Reginald Reynolds Amponsah
Encyclopedia
Reginald Reynolds Amponsah (30 December 1919 – 3 June 2009) was a potter
and politician
in Ghana
. He was a Minister of State
in the Busia government
.
in 1942. He was the school prefect for his year. Among his mates there were Victor Owusu
, K. B. Asante, and Silas Duodu. He was awarded a scholarship to study pottery at Stoke on Trent in the United Kingdom
.
in the first republic. Kwame Nkrumah
's government
, he was accused of plotting to overthrow the Convention People's Party
government along with Victor Owusu, Apaloo, William Ofori Atta
, Dzenkle Dzewu Joe Appiah
and Major Awhaitey. During a BBC interview, he said about his arrest in 1958 that
of 24 February 1966 which brought down the government
of Kwame Nkrumah
.
as Minister for Lands, Mineral Resources, Forestry and Wildlife in his Progressive Party government
. He was later appointed Education minister
and initiated the process for reforms in basic education in Ghana.
(NPP). He was influential in uniting various factions within the NPP leading up to the 2008 presidential
and parliamentary elections.
in the Sekyere West District
of the Ashanti Region
of Ghana. He was married with four children. He was buried on 3 September 2009 at Adudwan, also near Asante Mampong.
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. He was a Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
in the Busia government
Busia government
This is a listing of the ministers who served in Busia's Progress Party government during the Second Republic of Ghana. The Second Republic lasted from 1 October 1969 to 13 January 1972.-List of ministers:-References:...
.
Education
Amponsah completed his secondary education at the Achimota SchoolAchimota School
Achimota School , is an elite and highly selective co-educational secondary school located at Achimota in Accra, Ghana. It was established and commenced operations in 1924 and formally opened in 1927 by Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg -- then governor of the Gold Coast...
in 1942. He was the school prefect for his year. Among his mates there were Victor Owusu
Victor Owusu
For the rapper with the same birth name, see V.I.C..Victor Owusu is a former Ghanaian politician and lawyer. He has also served as Attorney General and Justice minister as well as foreign minister on two separate occasions....
, K. B. Asante, and Silas Duodu. He was awarded a scholarship to study pottery at Stoke on Trent in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
First republic
Amponsah was in opposition with the United PartyUnited Party (Ghana)
The United Party was the main opposition party in the First Republic of Ghana. It was the only opposition party throughout its existence from 1957 until 1964 when Ghana became a one party state.-Formation:...
in the first republic. Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah was the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast, from 1952 to 1966. Overseeing the nation's independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and the first Prime Minister of Ghana...
's government
Nkrumah government
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister and first President of Ghana.-Nkrumah's first independence government :Nkrumah had run governments under the supervision of the British government through Charles Arden-Clarke, the Governor-General. His first government under colonial rule started...
, he was accused of plotting to overthrow the Convention People's Party
Convention People's Party
The Convention People's Party is a socialist political party in Ghana, based on the ideas of former President Kwame Nkrumah.The CPP was formed in 1949 by Kwame Nkrumah to campaign for the independence of the Gold Coast. It ruled Ghana from 1957 to 1966...
government along with Victor Owusu, Apaloo, William Ofori Atta
William Ofori Atta
Nana William Ofori Atta was a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention and was one of "The Big Six" detained by the British colonial government in Ghana...
, Dzenkle Dzewu Joe Appiah
Joe Appiah
Nana Joseph Emmanuel "Joe" Appiah, MP was a Ghanaian lawyer, politician and statesman. He was born in Kumasi to Nana James Appiah and Nana Adwoa Akyaa, members of the Ashanti imperial aristocracy...
and Major Awhaitey. During a BBC interview, he said about his arrest in 1958 that
A British police officer came to me and said “you are under arrest", ... "He pulled a gun and said “come at once or I will blow your head off.He was jailed without trial under the Preventive Detention Act. He stayed thre from 1958 until the coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
of 24 February 1966 which brought down the government
Nkrumah government
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister and first President of Ghana.-Nkrumah's first independence government :Nkrumah had run governments under the supervision of the British government through Charles Arden-Clarke, the Governor-General. His first government under colonial rule started...
of Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah was the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast, from 1952 to 1966. Overseeing the nation's independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and the first Prime Minister of Ghana...
.
Second republic
He was appointed by Kofi Abrefa BusiaKofi Abrefa Busia
Kofi Abrefa Busia was Prime Minister of Ghana from 1969–72. He was born in Wenchi, in the then British colony of Gold Coast . He was educated at Methodist School, Wenchi, Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast, then at Wesley College, Kumasi from 1931–32. He later became a teacher at Achimota Secondary...
as Minister for Lands, Mineral Resources, Forestry and Wildlife in his Progressive Party government
Busia government
This is a listing of the ministers who served in Busia's Progress Party government during the Second Republic of Ghana. The Second Republic lasted from 1 October 1969 to 13 January 1972.-List of ministers:-References:...
. He was later appointed Education minister
Education minister
An education minister is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters.-Country-related articles and lists:Minister of Education may refer to:...
and initiated the process for reforms in basic education in Ghana.
Fourth republic
During the fourth republic, he was the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic PartyNew Patriotic Party
-External links:*...
(NPP). He was influential in uniting various factions within the NPP leading up to the 2008 presidential
Ghanaian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Ghana on 7 December 2008, at the same time as a parliamentary election. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, a run-off election was held on 28 December, 2008 between the two candidates who received the most votes, Nana Akufo-Addo and John Atta...
and parliamentary elections.
Personal
Amponsah was born at Daaman near Asante MampongMampong
Mampong is a town in Ghana. It is found in the Ashanti Region in Ghana, and serves as the administrative capital of Sekyere West District.It is also the home of the Mampong Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine. The center conducts research in the use of plant medicine in the cure of...
in the Sekyere West District
Sekyere West District
The Mampong Municipal District, formerly the Sekyere West District is a district of Ghana in the Ashanti Region.-Sources:*...
of the Ashanti Region
Ashanti Region
The Ashanti Region is the third largest of 10 administrative regions in Ghana, occupying a total land surface of 24389 square kilometers or 10.2 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the most populated region with a population of 3,612,950 in 2000,...
of Ghana. He was married with four children. He was buried on 3 September 2009 at Adudwan, also near Asante Mampong.