# Harry Sawyerr
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{{Short description|Ghanaian politician (1926–2013)}}
{{about||the Sierra Leonean theologian|Harry Sawyerr (theologian)|similar names|Harry Sawyer (disambiguation){{!}}Harry Sawyer}}
{{Use Ghanaian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [The Honourable](/source/The_Honourable)
| name = Harry Sawyerr
| honorific_suffix = F.R.I.C.S. , F.R.V.A. , F.I.AR.B. , F.R.S.H. , [CV](/source/Order_of_the_Volta)
| image = File:Ghanaian_politician_Harry_Sawyerr.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| order 2 =
| office2 = Minister for Education
| term_start2 = 1993
| term_end2 = 1997
| president2 = [Jerry Rawlings](/source/Jerry_Rawlings)
| predecessor2 = [Alex Ababio](/source/Alexander_Ransford_Ababio)
| successor2 = [Esi Sutherland-Addy](/source/Esi_Sutherland-Addy)
| constituency2 =
| majority2 =
| order3 =
| office3 = Minister for Transport and Communications
| term_start3 = September 1979
| term_end3 = 31 December 1981
| president3 = [Hilla Limann](/source/Hilla_Limann)
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| constituency3 =
| majority3 =
| constituency_MP = Osu-Klottey
| parliament = Ghana
| majority =
| term_start = September 1969
| term_end = 13 January 1972
| predecessor =
| successor =
| birth_name = Henry Romulus Sawyerr
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1926|04|25}}
| birth_place = [Abokobi](/source/Abokobi), [Accra](/source/Accra), [Gold Coast](/source/Gold_Coast_(British_colony)) (now Ghana)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2013|11|08|1926|04|25}}
| death_place = Accra, Ghana
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| citizenship =
| party = [United National Convention](/source/United_National_Convention) {{small|(1979 – 1981)}}
New Generation Alliance {{small|(1992)}}
[National Democratic Congress](/source/National_Democratic_Congress_(Ghana)) {{small|(1992-2013)}}
| other_party =
| spouse = Esther Sawyerr
| partner =
| relations =
| children =
| parents =
| education = [Accra Academy](/source/Accra_Academy)
| alma_mater = [University College of Estate Management](/source/University_College_of_Estate_Management)
| occupation = Politician,
[surveyor](/source/surveyor),
[valuer](/source/valuer)
| profession =
| cabinet =
| committees =
| portfolio =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Henry Romulus Sawyerr''', {{post nominals|post-noms=[CV](/source/Order_of_the_Volta)}} (25 April 1926 – 8 November 2013) was a [Ghanaian](/source/Ghanaian) politician and [surveyor](/source/surveyor). Under the Fourth Republic, he was [Minister for Education](/source/Minister_for_Education_(Ghana)) from 1993 to 1997 in [Jerry Rawlings](/source/Jerry_Rawlings)' first presidential term of office. In the Second Republic, Sawyerr was Member of Parliament (MP) for Osu-Klottey as a [non-party candidate](/source/independent_politician), the only non-party candidate elected. In the Third Republic, he was again elected MP but gave up the seat to be in [Hilla Limann's cabinet](/source/Limann_government) as [Minister for Transport and Communications](/source/Minister_for_Transport_(Ghana)) from 1979 to 1981. He was nominated by Limann despite not belonging to Limann’s political party.
==Early life and education==
Harry Sawyerr was born on 25 April 1926 in [Abokobi](/source/Abokobi), [Accra](/source/Accra), in the Ga East District, to Kwao Sawyerr and Fredericka Naa Awula Akua Lokko.[[http://www.parliament.gh/publications/30/722 "Commemorative Tribute to Henry Romulus Sawyerr (a.k.a Harry Sawyerr)"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916210407/http://www.parliament.gh/publications/30/722 |date=16 September 2016 }}, ''The Hansard'', Official Report for 18 December 2013, Parliament of Ghana.]
Sawyerr had his elementary education at the Presbyterian Primary School at Abokobi from 1932 to 1938, continuing in 1938 to the [Salem School](/source/Salem_School%2C_Osu) at [Osu](/source/Osu%2C_Accra). He studied at [Accra Academy](/source/Accra_Academy) for his secondary education from 1942 to 1946. He entered [Achimota College](/source/Achimota_School) in 1947, but on the sudden death of his father that year, Sawyerr's degree studies ended due to lack of funds.[{{Cite web|title=Henry Romulus Sawyerr|url=https://odarkor.org/profile/-LO6oKnkqRfq3BpFZEBe|website=odarkor.org|access-date=2020-05-25}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}]
==Career==
He worked as a District Valuer at the Lands Department in Accra from 1955 to 1958, then left public service to establish a private consultancy from 1958 to 1962. In 1962, Sawyerr was made the City Valuer at the Kumasi City Council, but after only a year, he left for [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria) where he worked as Chief Federal Lands Officer from 1963 to 1967 as the first black Chief Federal Lands Officer in Nigeria.[{{cite web|url=http://www.ghisonline.org/21/118/Past-Presidents-of-the-Institution.html|title=Ghana Institute of Surveyors - Past Presidents|publisher=Ghana Institute of Surveyors|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226023720/http://www.ghisonline.org/21/118/Past-Presidents-of-the-Institution.html|archive-date=26 February 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=28 May 2011}}] He was Convener of the Association of Recognised Professional Bodies (ARPB), from 1971 to 1979 and led the organisation to object to military governance in Ghana.[{{cite news |url= https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/parliament-pays-tribute-to-sawyerr.html|location=Accra, Ghana|title= Parliament pays tribute to Sawyerr |first=Emmanuel |last=Adu-Gyamerah|date= 21 December 2013 |access-date=19 December 2023|newspaper=[Daily Graphic](/source/Daily_Graphic_(Ghana))}}.]
In March 1983, the PNDC government appointed Sawyerr as chairman of the newly-established Land Valuations Board.[{{cite journal|title=Sawyerr heads Lands Body|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XAwbx_PKGxsC&dq=land+valuation+board+and+harry+sawyerr&pg=RA31-PA2 |journal= Ghana News|date= March 1983|volume=12|number=3 |page=2}}]
==Politics==
His political career began as a member of the [Ghana Congress Party](/source/Ghana_Congress_Party) led by [Kofi Abrefa Busia](/source/Kofi_Abrefa_Busia).[{{cite book |last=Vieta |first=K. T. |title=The Flagbearers of Ghana: Profiles of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians, Volume 1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uw0OAQAAMAAJ&q=T+k+Aboagye |date=1999 |publisher= Ena Publications |isbn=9789988001384 }}]
Sawyerr was made a member of the 1969 Constituent Assembly that drew up the 1969 Constitution for the Second Republic of Ghana. He contested the [1969 parliamentary election](/source/1969_Ghanaian_parliamentary_election) in the Osu-Klottey constituency as a non-party candidate and won.[{{cite news|title=12 to contest election as non-party candidates|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEBHwxSjigcC&q=harry+sawyerr+and+accra+academy&pg=PT1|work=The Daily Graphic |publisher=Graphic Communications Group|date=30 July 1969}}] He was the only non-party candidate to win a seat in the Parliament of the Second Republic.[{{Cite book|title=Ghana Parliamentary Register 1969-70|publisher=Office of the National Assembly|year=1969|location=Accra|pages=}}]
At the onset of the Third Republic, he was a founding member and national treasurer of the [United National Convention](/source/United_National_Convention) (UNC) whose flagbearer was [William Ofori-Atta](/source/William_Ofori-Atta). Sawyerr stood for election to parliament at the Osu-Klottey constituency on the ticket of the UNC.[{{cite news|title=UNC is not for Vain Promises|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gmW8zpt1TNUC&q=Sawyerr+and+William+Ofori-Atta&pg=PA3|work=The Daily Graphic|publisher=Graphic Communications Group|date=30 April 1979}}] He won the parliamentary seat but gave it up to serve as Minister for Transport and Communications from 1979 to 1981 in the [Limann government](/source/Limann_government), as the Third Republic Constitution did not permit parliament members to become cabinet ministers.[{{cite journal| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=ZEIuAQAAIAAJ&q=bye+elections| title = Bye-elections fixed for November 16|journal= Ghana News| volume = 8|pages = 6|year = 1979}}]
In 1992, Sawyerr and veteran politicians; [Sam Okudzeto](/source/Sam_Okudzeto), [Patrick Quaidoo](/source/Patrick_Kwame_Kusi_Quaidoo) and [E. A. K. Akuoko](/source/Ebenezer_Augustus_Kwasi_Akuoko) formed the New Generation Alliance as a political movement in anticipation of a democratic return. Sawyerr soon broke away from the party.[{{cite book|title= Ghana Transition To Democracy|author= Kwame Akon Ninsin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7zGfAAAAMAAJ&q=harry+sawyerr|publisher=CODESRIA |year=1998 |page= 84 |isbn=9782869780910}}] Sawyerr joined the [National Democratic Congress](/source/National_Democratic_Congress_(Ghana)) (NDC) in 1992, and was a member of its first national executives as party Vice Chairman. He was the Chairman of the NDC's 1992 National Campaign Committee.[{{cite book |last=Asamoah |first=Obed |author-link=Obed Asamoah |date=2014 |title=The Political History of Ghana (1950–2013): The Experience of a Non-Conformist |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O28ZBQAAQBAJ&dq=harry+sawyerr+and+sam+okudzeto&pg=PA435|page=435|publisher=AuthorHouse |isbn=9781496985637 }}]
In government, he served as Minister for Education in the [Rawlings government](/source/Rawlings_government) from 1993 to 1997. Prior to this, he had been the Executive Chairman of the [University of Ghana Medical School](/source/University_of_Ghana_Medical_School) since 1990. He was the first Minister for Education in the Fourth Ghanaian Republic.[{{cite web |url=http://www.adeanet.org/adeaPortal/adea/publications/docs/Country%20led%20ghana-eng.pdf |title=Country-led Aid Coordination in Ghana |access-date=28 May 2011 |publisher=Association for the Development of Education in Africa |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330105401/http://www.adeanet.org/adeaPortal/adea/publications/docs/Country%20led%20ghana-eng.pdf |archive-date=30 March 2012 }}] In 1997, Sawyerr was reassigned as a member of the [Council of State](/source/Council_of_State_(Ghana)) during the 2nd presidential term of Rawlings, on which he served until 2000.[{{cite news|title=Harry Sawyer is dead|url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/harry-sawyerr-is-dead.html|location=Accra, Ghana|newspaper=[Daily Graphic](/source/Daily_Graphic_(Ghana))|date=9 November 2013}}] He was Vice Chairman of the council of elders of the NDC from 2010 to 2012.[{{Cite news|title=Hearts Patrons Calm Trouble|date=31 October 2001|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/188949/4/hearts-patrons-calm-troubles.html|publisher=modernghana.com}}][{{Cite news|title=Hearts Council of Patrons back Africa withdrawal|author=Ghana News Agency|date=2011|url=http://ghananewsagency.org/sports/hearts-council-of-patrons-back-africa-withdrawal-9364}}]
==Personal life==
Harry Sawyerr was a [Freemason](/source/Freemasonry), belonging to the [District Grand Lodge of Ghana](/source/Freemasonry_in_Ghana) under the [United Grand Lodge of England](/source/United_Grand_Lodge_of_England).[{{Cite web|url=http://masonictimesafrica.blogspot.com/2014/08/special-conference-on-freemasonry-in.html|title=Special conference on Freemasonry in Accra, Ghana|last=A|date=September 2014|access-date=27 November 2018}}]
==Recognition==
Sawyerr was the first Executive Chairman of the [University of Ghana Medical School](/source/University_of_Ghana_Medical_School), appointed in 1990.[{{cite web |url=http://beckykwei.bogspot.com/2011/04/dr-vera-fosu-best-all-round-student.html |title=Dr Vera Fosu — Best All-round Student |access-date=28 May 2011 |work=Tsotsoo's journal |publisher=Becky Kwei |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306213420/http://beckykwei.blogspot.com/2011/04/dr-vera-fosu-best-all-round-student.html |archive-date=6 March 2014 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |date=2011-04-13 }}]
In 2011, Sawyerr was decorated with the [Companion of the Order of the Volta](/source/Order_of_the_Volta), the highest award in Ghana, by the then President [John Evans Atta Mills](/source/John_Evans_Atta_Mills).[{{cite web|title=Harry Sawyer Profile|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=1237|publisher=[GhanaWeb](/source/GhanaWeb)|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020061104/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=1237|archive-date=20 October 2014|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}][{{cite web|url=http://isaacessel.blogspot.com/2011/10/mills-honours-national-heroes-urges.html|title=Mills honours national heroes; urges youth to die for Ghana|website=Voice of Ghana|first=Isaac|last=Essel|date=14 October 2011|access-date=4 March 2022}}]
==Death and funeral==
Sawyerr died on 8 November 2013 in Accra,[{{cite web|title=Harry Sawyerr is dead|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=291449|work=General News|date = 9 November 2013|publisher=Ghana Home Page|access-date=10 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110203648/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=291449|archive-date=10 November 2013|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}] aged 87.[{{cite web|first=Enoch Darfah |last=Frimpong|url= https://www.ghanamma.com/2013/04/25/celebrating-grandpa-harry-sawyerr-at-87-has-paid-his-due-to-ghana-and-the-ndc/ |title=Celebrating Grandpa Harry Sawyerr at 87: Has paid his due to Ghana and the NDC|website=Ghana News|date= 25 April 2013|access-date=4 March 2022}}] His funeral was attended by several government officials and dignitaries.[{{Cite news|url=http://www.ghananewsagency.org/social/hundreds-pay-last-respect-to-late-harry-sawyerr--68833|title=Hundreds pay last respect to late Harry Sawyerr|publisher=Ghana News Agency|date=21 December 2013|access-date=2 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203082900/http://www.ghananewsagency.org/social/hundreds-pay-last-respect-to-late-harry-sawyerr--68833|archive-date=3 December 2017|url-status=live}}][{{cite web|url=https://mobile.peacefmonline.com/pages/local/news/201312/183725.php|title=Burial Service For Harry Sawyerr|website=peacefmonline|date=23 December 2013|access-date=4 March 2022}}] He was buried at the [Basel Mission Cemetery](/source/List_of_cemeteries_in_Accra) in [Osu](/source/Osu%2C_Accra).