Ghanaian politician and businessman, Charles Eric Kofi Wayo, popularly known as Kofi Wayo, has reportedly died.
He passed away in the early hours of Saturday, November 7, at the Nyaho Medical Centre in Accra.
His passing brings to an end the life of one of Ghana’s most outspoken and unconventional political figures, whose blunt commentary on governance, corruption and the management of the economy made him a familiar face in the country’s political and media landscape, particularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Popularly called ‘Chuck’ Wayo, he earned a reputation as a maverick politician who frequently challenged successive governments and was unafraid to criticise political leaders, including those within parties he had previously supported.
Kofi Wayo first gained national attention through his outspoken criticism of the administration of former President Jerry John Rawlings.
His political activities subsequently brought him into the fold of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), where he became an active supporter and contested the Ayawaso East parliamentary seat in the 2000 general elections.
Although he failed to win the parliamentary seat, he remained a prominent political voice during the period, particularly in his criticism of the then-ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
However, his relationship with the NPP became strained after the party assumed office under former President John Agyekum Kufuor. He later criticised the government, accusing political leaders of failing to deliver on their promises and expressing disappointment with the country’s political leadership.
He subsequently parted ways with the NPP and joined the People’s National Convention (PNC) before eventually establishing his own political movement, the United Renaissance Party, in 2007.
Through the URP, Kofi Wayo sought to present an alternative to Ghana’s two dominant political parties, the NPP and the NDC, advocating governance reforms, economic transformation, job creation and greater accountability in public office.
He remained active in political discussions and sought to promote policies that would improve living conditions, particularly for ordinary Ghanaians and people in rural communities.
Despite his political ambitions, the URP struggled to establish a significant electoral presence, and Kofi Wayo gradually became less active in mainstream party politics.
In March 2017, Kofi Wayo announced his departure from active politics, explaining that he had become disillusioned with the country’s political system and wanted to concentrate on agriculture.
He said he intended to support farmers in rural communities by providing them with farming implements and other logistics to improve agricultural production.
He was particularly critical of successive governments for what he considered inadequate attention to the challenges confronting farmers, arguing that agriculture needed practical interventions rather than political promises.
