TIH: My father was the first person to bring second-hand clothing business to Ghana - Boakye Agyarko

On July 7, 2023, former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko said his father was the first person to introduce the second-hand clothing business to Ghana.

He said that, inasmuch as he did not come from a very affluent family, his parents had a good start in life.

Read the full story originally published on July 7, 20213 by GNA.

Former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, has disclosed that though he did not come from a very affluent family, his parents had a good start in life.

Talking for the first time about his family, Mr Agyarko explained that though his mother was a pupil teacher at Krobo Odumasi, his father, a cocoa farmer had a very good start in life.

According to him, his father and his Greek-Cypriot business partner, identified as Mr. C. Mouthasos, were the first to introduce second-hand clothing business to Ghana.

"No, I didn't leave the ministry as a bitter person...Bitterness is not part of my life. But with all the things God has passed me through to this stage of my life if I become bitter, then I am ungrateful to God."

"No, from a rich home? My mother is from Krobo Odumasi. She was a teacher. She had 5 children with my father...My father started life well. He was the chief buyer for lions cocoa company based in Sefwi Bekwai. So he was in the cocoa industry."

He disclosed this in an interview with Omanhene Kwabena Asante on Asempa FM, monitored by GhanaWeb.

Mr Agyarko added that, when the second world war started, it was his father, K. Agyarko and Sons, who supplied food to the colonial army.

"When the Second World War started, he was supplying food to the colonial army. Then he stopped and opened a store with his Greek business partner. They used to sell Holland cloth and others.

"Then they added second-hand clothing. They were the first to bring second-hand clothing business to Ghana. My father, K Agyarko and Sons," he disclosed.

Unfortunately for the Agyarko family, their good living had to come to an end when his father went into exile due to politics.

"Because of politics, my father had to go into exile. He lost everything and was in exile for 7 years in Nigeria, Togo and Ivory Coast. He was 62 then."

The former Campaign manager and policy advisor, Boakye Agyarko, was the first to pick up the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential nomination forms for the party's primaries.

He was vetted by the New Patriotic Party's Vetting Committee on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at the party regional office.