US embassy cable - 05ACCRA306

UNCLAS ACCRA 000306 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, GH, KTIA, KWMN, PHUM, Trafficking 
SUBJECT: DCM MEETS MINISTER-DESIGNATE OF EMPLOYMENT, YOUTH, 
AND MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT TO DISCUSS ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN 
PERSONS LEGISLATION 
 
 
1.  Summary:  DCM and Poloff called on Minister-Designate of 
Employment, Youth, and Manpower Development Joseph Kofi Adda 
on February 10 to highlighted our interest in Ghana's passage 
of an anti-trafficking law. Adda said that Ghana intended to 
enact the law but it would take some time for the cabinet to 
introduce legislation before parliament.  End Summary. 
 
Trafficking in Persons 
---------------------- 
 
2.  DCM explained our trafficking in persons (TIP) report to 
Adda and noted that Ghana was the only sub-Saharan African 
state on Tier 1; however, Ghana would probably not remain on 
Tier 1 unless it passed anti-trafficking legislation.  Adda 
responded that the GOG had the best of intentions but it 
would take some time for the cabinet to discuss the proposed 
legislation and present a bill to parliament.  Because of the 
government is very new, Atta could not promise passage during 
this session of parliament, although he would personally push 
it. 
 
Training Issues 
--------------- 
 
3.  Adda went on to note that much of the GOG bureaucracy 
required further training.  He expressed gratitude for the 
many USG programs that have helped to upgrade skills but 
commented that his own ministry was in need of an overhaul, 
as it lacked computers and a solid database.  DCM commented 
that while many of Ghana's present leaders were trained by 
those who still had a pan-African socialist orientation, the 
country had made a good transition to being a free-market 
democratic state. 
 
Labor Relations:  A New Paradigm 
-------------------------------- 
 
4.  Adda expressed concern over obstacles to foreign 
investment.  Toward that end, he envisioned regular meetings 
with organized labor, business, and his ministry that would 
lead to continual dialogue and problem resolution at an early 
stage.  Another key component of his pro-investor strategy 
was to better train his staff of arbiters so that they could 
mediate industrial disputes effectively and avert crises. 
Adda was proud that he had previously spearheaded budgetary 
reform and strengthened internal audits. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
5.  Adda was friendly and forthcoming.  He has been vetted by 
parliament and expects to be sworn in as minister in the next 
few days.  We were encouraged that he is willing to push for 
passage of a TIP bill. 
 
Bio 
--- 
 
6.  Joseph Kofi Adda (48) was a management consultant, with a 
B.Sc. in Economics and Political Science from Indiana 
Wesleyan University (1979-82), a certificate in French 
Language and Civilization from Sorbonne University, Paris, 
and a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia 
University, New York (1982-84). 
 
An ethnic Kassena, Adda is from Upper East Region, where he 
has represented the Navrongo Central constituency in 
parliament since 2003.  In parliament he has served on four 
committees:  Privileges; Finance; Agriculture, Food and Cocoa 
Affairs; and Trade, Industry and Tourism. 
 
In Ghana Adda has worked as Director at Omni Consulting 
International, as Technical Advisor for Financial Reforms at 
the Ministry of Finance (1999-2000), and as Project Manager 
for the Public Financial Management Reform Program (1996-98). 
 
While in New York Adda worked as Principal Consultant for 
Macro-Anayltic Consulting (1989-91), Securities Analyst at 
Thomson McKinnon Securities (1986-88), and Research Analyst 
at Third World Trade Institute (1983-84). 
 
He is married with two children. 
YATES