Benjamin William Quarteyquaye Quartey-Papafio was a Ghanaian politician and also a Physician. He is also the first Ghanaian to obtain medical degree in the Gold Coast Colony.

He was born on June 25, 1859 to a leading family in Accra.

Chief Quartey-Papafio, a.k.a. ‘Old Papafio’ and Momo Omedru, a businesswoman from Gbese (Dutch Accra) were his parents.

Before He travelled to Britain to study, He got educated at the CMS Grammar School and also Fourah Bay College in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Although Benjamin William Quartey-Papafio earned a B.A. degree from Durham University, however, he gained admission to Edinburg University in 1882 as a medical doctor.

He was honored with an M.B and M.ch. in 1886 thus becoming a member of the Royal college of Surgeons.

He became the first African to receive a medical degree in the Gold Coast.

Benjamin William Quartey-Papafio later returned to the Gold Coast (Present Day Ghana) where he became a medical officer for the Gold Coast Government Service from 1888 until 1905 and was also in private practice.

Benjamin William Quartey-Papafio was also a member of the Accra Town Council from 1909 to 1912 including a member of the 1911 deputation to London which protested the Forest Bill.

In addition, he was an unofficial member of the Legislative Council from 1919 to 1924.

He died at the age of 65 on 14 September 1924

Family

Benjamin William Quartey-Papafio, first Ghanaian to obtain medical degree had a total of Nine (9) Children with two different wives