Bawumia: Akoto Osei’s fidelity to development was unquestionable

Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has eulogised the late Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, the former deputy finance minister in the J A Kufuor administration.

Osei, who also served as an MP for Old Tafo, died on Monday (20 March) at the University of Ghana Medical Centre.

Sharing the news on Facebook on Monday (20 March), Bawumia said Osei’s dedication to serving Ghana was “unpaired”.

“I have heard with shock the passing of Hon. Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, former MP and Minister of the Republic.
Dr. was a very good friend and one of the people I worked closely with as a Deputy Governor and Vice President of the Republic,” Bawumia wrote on Facebook.

Unquestionable fidelity

“His dedication to serving mother Ghana was unpaired and his fidelity to the country’s development was unquestionable.

“I paid him a visit just a few weeks ago and was happy that he was doing much better. The news of his passing has therefore come as a complete shock. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. I am happy to have had a brother in you and to have worked with you. Rest in peace, my brother,” Bawumia added.

Shock

Meanwhile, the former trade minister Alan Kyerematen has expressed shock over the news.

“I have received with deep sadness and shock, the passing into glory of my friend and brother, patriot, Hon. Anthony Akoto Osei, who served as Member of Parliament for the Old Tafo Constituency in the Ashanti Region, and Minister of State for Finance and Economic Planning in the cabinet of President John Agyekum Kufuor,” he also posted on Facebook.

“The late Dr. Osei, also served as Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation in the current administration of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. My sympathy goes out to his family and the entire NPP fraternity. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” Kyerematen added.

Profile of Akoto Osei

Anthony Akoto Osei was born in Sunyani to a distinguished statesman on 18 April 1953. He served as the MP for Old Tafo in the Ashanti Region. During his time in Parliament, he was ranking member on the finance committee and a member of the committee on interior and defence.

Osei obtained a Master of Arts degree in applied economics from the American University in 1980 and a PhD from Howard University in 1987. He had earlier obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Oberlin College in Ohio in 1978.

He attended Achimota and Opoku Ware Secondary Schools, where he obtained his GCE Advanced and Ordinary level certificates, respectively.

He is considered as one of the finest Ghanaian economists of recent years, acquiring his experience from providing consultancy services for the World Bank (Korea Division) in 1987, teaching at Dillard and Howard Universities from 1984 to 1995 as an associate professor in economics and as a research fellow for the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA) from 1996 to 2001 in Ghana.

He had many academic publications on monetary, international and quantitative economics to his name.

In the government of J A Kufuor he was made first (from 2001-2003) a special advisor to the minister of finance and economic planning and later appointed a deputy minister in the Ministry of Finance in 2003.

He was elevated to the position of minister of state at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, a position he held until the NPP party lost power in December 2008.

In 2006, he founded the Wealth Creation and Social Development Skills Training Centre, which trains about one hundred young people every year.

In February 2017 Osei was sworn in as minister of monitoring and evaluation in the Akufo-Addo governemnt.

Source: Fred Dzakpata/AsaaseRadio