Debate, leadership and governance drew me to politics – Ekua Amoakoh

Dr Ekua Amoakoh, a spokesperson for NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Health Committee, has shared her inspiring journey that led her to a career in politics. In an interview with JoyNews’ PM Express with Emefa Adeti, she revealed that her love for debate, governance, and leadership has been a lifelong passion.

Amoakoh expressed how she has always been vocal about the way institutions and society should function and desired to contribute to the decisions that shape Ghana’s development. She elaborated, "I always enjoyed debates and, you know, governance. And I always had opinions on stuff. So I think that’s why I wanted to be a politician. I always had opinions on what to do, how everything should be run."

Throughout her education, from junior secondary school to senior secondary school, Amoakoh frequently found herself in leadership positions, attributing it to her verbal nature. She recalled an incident during medical school where a lecturer, known as "Captain" among students, was intimidating. Students were often too scared to confront him about critical issues, prompting them to ask Amoakoh to speak on their behalf.

She shared, "We all needed to tell Captain something that he really wouldn’t understand. But everybody was just too frightened to tell him. They’d say, ‘Akua, go and do it.’”

This pattern of stepping up when others were silent has been a consistent theme in Amoakoh's life, reinforcing her belief in her ability to speak up and voice her opinions. Her political ambition is fueled by a strong desire to contribute directly to Ghana’s development and not remain outside the decision-making process. As she put it, "I didn’t want to be in a position where I couldn’t influence the growth of this country, for instance."