Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie

Early life and education Kojo Afriyie was born in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He attended Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School in Bekwai from where he obtained his GCE Ordinary level certificate.

Career Legal career Afriyie entered into private law practice in 1981. In May 2017, while the CEO of the Forestry Commission, he publicly declared that he would contest the New Patriotic Party's general secretary elections if there was an overwhelming call for him to do so.

CEO of Forestry Commission In March 2017, President Nana Akuffo-Addo appointed Afriyie as CEO of the Forestry Commission. That position was given to Paul Asare Ansah. He thanked the president for the Forestry Commission appointment and believed that since he hailed from the forest zone of Ghana, he would be able to have a greater impact in that area. His first assignment as head of the commission was to supervise the celebration of World Forest Day which fell on 21 March 2017. He had criticised the Court for its actions in a criminal contempt case involving Sammy Awuku of the New Patriotic Party, and had implied that the justices' continuous mention of public radio discussions on cases that were before the court was a ploy by the court to curtail people from expressing themselves. Upon appearing before the court, his counsel, Ayikoi Otoo, pleaded with the court to be lenient and declared that his client had pleaded guilty to the charge. According to Ayikoi Otoo, "... some power for which no one had control over, entered Owusu Afriyie, because as a lawyer, he ought to have known the law". The Peace Council also offered a plea on Afriyie's behalf to the court. After a brief trial, Afriyie was fined 5000 cedis or, if he defaulted on payment, a six-month prison term.

Funeral and burial The funeral of Afriyie was held at Wonoo Basic School Park. Afriyie who was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church was buried in Sakora Wonoo in a House Tomb.