Issifu Ali

Ali is an indigene of Wa in the Upper West region of Ghana. He was born 21 May 1929[1][5] at Enchi in the Western region of Ghana. He had his early education from 1937 to 1941 at Wa. He studied at the Tamale Teacher training college for four years. And furthered his education at St. Andrews University in Scotland where he graduated with a Master's degree in Political Economy and Modern History from 1955 to 1958. He took a further course in Accounting and was conferred with Associate Chartered Accountant (A.C.A) England and Wales and Associate of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries (A.C.I.S.).[1]

Ali returned from the United Kingdom to Ghana and worked at Casselton and Elliot group of Company which was a group of Chartered Accountants in Accra. Later, he resigned after two years, to take on the post of Chief Accountant at the Agricultural Credit and Co-operative Bank now Agricultural Development Bank, from September 1965 until his appointment as commissioner. Ali was a board member of the Trustees for the Center for Civic Education now National Commission for Civic Education and the Executive council for the Society for the Blind Ghana.[1]

In other to create the Assembly, the National Liberation Council, nominated its members from various professions thus from the upper strata of the Ghanaian society. A distinguishing feature of this Assembly is the 'elitist background' of the majority of its members. Issifu Ali among others like E. A Boahene, R. E. Bannerman, B.J. Rocha, John Agyekum Kuffour, T.D. Brodie-Mends, Jones Ofori-Atta, Richard Quarshie, P.H. Adjetey, Godfred Kportufe Agama and S. A Okudzeto. Ali, including a few others were consequently given important positions in the National Liberation Council.[6] In 1966-1969 Ali was appointed commissioner for Works and Housing now Ministry of Works and Housing.[1] He was also appointed commissioner for information now Ministry of Information in 1969.[7] On 1 August 1969, he quit his position as Commissioner of Information to engage in Politics. He stated, he together with his colleagues of the National Liberation Council decided not be executive members of the council whilst they still held on to their posts as commissioners of state.[8] Ali was one of the first co-Chairmen of the National Democratic Congress.[3][2]

Ali's interests includes; reading, debating and swimming. He enjoyed playing tennis as well, he was married with four children.[1] Ali was an Ahmadi.[9]

Ali was a member of the council of elders of the National Democratic Congress before his death. He died on 9 April 2019 at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital after a short illness. He was buried at Kasoa Ahmadiya Muslim cemetery.[2]

Former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings the founder of the National Democratic Congress, paid tribute to Ali who is a former Chairman of the Party. Jerry John Rawlings said "People like him (Issifu Ali) will have a red-carpet treatment to heaven. Ali was a man of integrity. Let’s not allow people of integrity and moral authority to fade out."[9]

• National Liberation Council.