Daniel Francis Annan
Encyclopedia
Justice Daniel Francis Kweipe Annan (November 7, 1928 – July 16, 2006) was a Speaker
of the Parliament of Ghana
. He is also a former member of the Provisional National Defence Council
government which preceded the fourth republic and was once the Chairman of the National Commission for Democracy.
, Ghana
on November 7, 1928. He had his secondary education at Accra Academy from 1939 to 1945. He then proceeded to Achimota College from 1946 to 1948 to complete his pre-university education. Justice Annan then traveled to the United Kingdom
to study law at the University of Hull
. He obtained the LL.B (Hons) degree in 1956 while there. He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple
, UK, in 1958.
(PNDC) in 1984. He effectively became the deputy to Jerry Rawlings
, the Head of state of Ghana and acted quite often when Rawlings was out of the country. The government also made him Chairman of the National Commission for Democracy in 1984 which was to oversee preparations to return Ghana back to democracy. On the inauguration of the fourth republic, Justice Annan was elected Speaker of Parliament in January 1993, a position he held during the second parliament of the fourth republic as well till 2001. During this period, he got to act as President of Ghana
when both the President and Vice President were out of the country.
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Parliament of Ghana
Parliament of Ghana
The Parliament of Ghana is the legislative body of the Ghanaian government.-History:Legislative representation in Ghana dates back to 1850, when the country was a British colony. The body, called the Legislative Council, was purely advisory as the Governor exercised all legislative and executive...
. He is also a former member of the Provisional National Defence Council
Provisional National Defence Council
The Provisional National Defence Council was the name of the Ghanaian government after the People's National Party's elected government was overthrown by Jerry Rawlings, the former head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council. This was on December 31, 1981. It remained in power until January 7,...
government which preceded the fourth republic and was once the Chairman of the National Commission for Democracy.
Early life
Daniel Annan was born in AccraAccra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, 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...
on November 7, 1928. He had his secondary education at Accra Academy from 1939 to 1945. He then proceeded to Achimota College from 1946 to 1948 to complete his pre-university education. Justice Annan then traveled to 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...
to study law at the University of Hull
University of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
. He obtained the LL.B (Hons) degree in 1956 while there. He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, UK, in 1958.
Career
Justice Annan worked at the Attorney General's department in Accra, Ghana from 1958 to 1964. He rose from Assistant State Attorney, through State Attorney and finally worked as Senior State Attorney during that period. He joined the bench in 1964 as a Circuit Court Judge for two years. He was promoted High Court Judge in 1966 and then Appeal Court Judge in 1971. He served as the Stool Lands Boundaries Settlement Commissioner and also as a Member of the Legal Class Appointment Board from 1974 to 1976. Other positions held by Daniel Annan include Chairman of the Press Freedom and Complaints Committee of the Ghana Press Commission in 1980 and Chairman of the Ghana Police Council in 1984 as well as Chairman, National Economic Commission in 1984.Politics and Speaker of Parliament
Daniel Annan was appointed a member of the ruling Provisional National Defence CouncilProvisional National Defence Council
The Provisional National Defence Council was the name of the Ghanaian government after the People's National Party's elected government was overthrown by Jerry Rawlings, the former head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council. This was on December 31, 1981. It remained in power until January 7,...
(PNDC) in 1984. He effectively became the deputy to Jerry Rawlings
Jerry Rawlings
Jerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and now the African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001...
, the Head of state of Ghana and acted quite often when Rawlings was out of the country. The government also made him Chairman of the National Commission for Democracy in 1984 which was to oversee preparations to return Ghana back to democracy. On the inauguration of the fourth republic, Justice Annan was elected Speaker of Parliament in January 1993, a position he held during the second parliament of the fourth republic as well till 2001. During this period, he got to act as President of Ghana
President of Ghana
The President of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana. Officially styled President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghanaian Armed Forces. The current President of Ghana is Prof. John Atta Mills, who took office in January...
when both the President and Vice President were out of the country.