Justice D. F. Annan: Man who shaped Ghana’s 4th Repulic as its 1st Speaker of Parliament

Justice Daniel Francis Annan is the subject of celebration for the Adom brands of the Multimedia Group Limited today for his outstanding services to the nation in diverse fields of endeavour.

Justice Daniel Francis Kweipe Annan was the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana from 1993 to 2001.

He was a member of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) government which governed Ghana prior to the Fourth Republic and was Chairman of the National Commission for Democracy.

When Ghana decided to embark upon constitutional rule, he was elected the Speaker of the First Parliament of the Fourth Republic in 1993 and due to his performance as the speaker of the first parliament, he was re-elected as the Speaker of the Second Parliament of the Fourth Republic in 1997.

Justice Annan played a pivotal role in the current democratic dispensation, especially the institution of the Fourth Republic, and also helped in the shaping of Parliament into a formidable institution.

Daniel Annan was born in Accra, Ghana on November 7, 1928, Ga-Adangbe parents.

His father, Victor Benjamin Annan was a merchant and treasurer of the Accra branch of the United Gold Coast Convention, while his mother was Mary Nyaniba Annan.

Annan’s maternal great-grandfather was the Gã Maŋtsɛ, King Tackie Tawia I of Accra, who reigned from 1862 to 1902.

He started his education at the primary section of King’s College, Lagos where he received his Kindergarten education.

He had his secondary education at Accra Academy from 1939 to 1945 and thereafter studied at the intermediate department at Achimota College from 1946 to 1948.

Justice Annan then proceeded to the United Kingdom to study law at the University of Hull where he obtained the LL.B (Hons) degree in 1956 while there.

He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple, UK, in 1958.

Justice Annan worked at the Attorney General’s Department in Accra, Ghana from 1958 to 1964.

He rose from Assistant State Attorney to 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 and was promoted to High Court Judge in 1966 and then as Appeals 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, of the National Economic Commission in 1984.

Daniel Annan was appointed a member of the ruling Provisional National Defence Council NDC) in 1984.

He effectively became the deputy to President Jerry Rawlings 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.

Mr Justice Annan has travelled widely around the world serving his nation on various delegations of the following important conferences: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1989; headed Ghana’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in 1984 as well as in 1985; the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Harare in 1986 and Organization of African Unity (OAU), Addis Ababa, in 1984 as well as in 1985; the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting in Lome in 1984; the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in 1990; the 14^th Commonwealth Speakers Conference in Nicosia, Cyprus in 1996.

Justice Annan loved sports and was Chairman of the Ghana Boxing Promotion Syndicate from 1973 to 1976 and Chairman of the Ghana Boxing Authority from 1980 to 1982.

He was also President of the Ghana National Olympic Committee (1983–1985).

Star of Ghana – one of the prestigious state awards.       

He was married to Mrs Regina Annan with four children. His hobbies are gardening and general politics.                                       

Justice Daniel Annan died on July 16, 2006, in Accra after a period of illness.