Dan Botwe

Dan Botwe, full name Daniel Kwaku Botwe, is one of the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) master strategists: the general secretary who helped take the party into government in 2000, a cabinet minister under two presidents, and the long-serving MP for Okere in the Eastern Region, a seat he held until 2025.

Student leader in exile

Born on 26 February 1958 at Abiriw-Akuapem, Botwe went to Kumasi Academy and Achimota School and studied computer science at KNUST. There he was elected national secretary of the National Union of Ghana Students in 1982, just as the PNDC military regime took power. His criticism of the government led to his exile in Côte d'Ivoire. After returning, he worked as a computer analyst at the Ghana Cocoa Board from 1985 to 1993 and then went into business.

The man behind 2000

Elected NPP general secretary in 1998, Botwe ran the party organisation that delivered John Kufuor's victory in 2000. Akufo-Addo later described him as "a heavy hitter, a political weight". Under Kufuor he was Minister for Information and National Orientation.

New regions

In Akufo-Addo's first term he led the new Ministry of Regional Reorganisation and Development, which organised the December 2018 referendums that led to the creation of six new regions. In the second term he became Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development. For the 2024 election he chaired Dr Mahamudu Bawumia's campaign.

Daniel Nana Addo Kenneth succeeded him as Okere's MP in 2025.