The death of my good friend, Dr. Kwesi Botchwey, is a very sad development.
My contemporary, in the mid-1960s, at the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr. Botchwey was a longstanding public servant, who discharged his duties thoughtfully and with dignity, and became Ghana’s longest-serving Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.
A Ghanaian patriot and a committed Pan-Africanist, politics was, for him, an avenue to serve his nation and continent, not a vehicle for venting his personal dislikes and embarking on vendettas against others.
We subscribed, in our adult lives, to different ideological persuasions, differences that did not diminish the respect we had for each other or for our friendship.
I will miss him and his urbane, civilized conduct and demeanour.
The thoughts and sympathies of my wife, Rebecca, the First Lady, and I are with his partner, Gwendy, children and family.
I extend my deepest condolences to them, and also to the National Democratic Congress, of which he was a prominent and much respected member.
Ghana has lost a fine gentleman and exceptional public servant. May his soul rest in perfect peace in the Bosom of the Almighty until the Last Day of the Resurrection when we shall all meet again.
The passing of my elder brother Kwesi ‘B’, as I called him, after a short illness has left me and the hordes of our compatriots and the nation at large, numb with deep sadness.
We are yet to come to terms with this new reality that, for the first time, we will no longer have the benefit of his ever-readiness to serve his party, his country and his God.
It is difficult to accept that your party, the NDC, can, today, no longer draw upon your sharp intellect, profound knowledge and varied expertise that served as a bulwark of stability for our economy, leading to the birthing of our enduring 4th Republic.
It is painful to accept that you would not be physically present to consult when the NDC returns to power to pursue its goal of changing the fortunes of the people of Ghana.
It is sad to accept that we have had our last “buga’ dance and our plans to celebrate you in grand style on your 80th birthday, will no longer be possible. Kwesi ‘B’ was a gifted fixer – plain and simple.
He was the longest serving Finance Minister of our Republic for a reason. A man of immense intellectual acumen and practical wisdom, his life had been one of selfless service to his country and humanity.
Significantly, his service led to transformation of lives across the globe. He was a statesman par excellence and a national treasure.
It is a measure of his industry, scholarly credentials, and depth of knowledge that he served at various capacities both at home and abroad, including sharing his expertise with global organizations and bodies like the IMF, the World Bank, the UN, the OECD and the Commonwealth.
In spite of this incomparable resume, Professor Kwesi Botchwey never yielded to the temptation of engaging in self-adulation and promotion but preferred to have his work speak for him. This is a vital lesson of servantship that all of us, especially politicians, must emulate.
This is why he was a man I admired greatly. He continued to serve in various capacities, the last being Member of the Council of Elders of the NDC, until he was finally called to rest.
Even after retirement, the statesman that he was, he continued to serve till the very end. You have served your God, your fellow man, your country, and your party faithfully, and you have earned your due rest.
But being human, we would have preferred to have you around a bit longer, especially now that your country is going through torrid economic times.
We are reminded, however, by the words of the Priest-Poet John Donne who remarked that: “God himself took a day to rest in, and a good man’s grave [or death] is his Sabbath.” Kwesi ‘B’: the cruel hand of death has only severed our physical connection: it may have ended a life but never the ties, memories and inspiration you left with us that continue to spur us on.
You have gone but will never be forgotten as long as the NDC exists; You have gone but will never be forgotten, as long as the story of the economy of our country is told; You have gone but will never be forgotten whenever we recall some of the greatest sons and daughters our country has ever produced.
The poet Emile Dickenson was right about you: “Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality.”
Because you were driven by a desire to improve the livelihood of your people, you never stopped to take a deserved rest.
Your friends, comrades, party and nation, with a grateful heart, bids you farewell. May God Almighty grant you peaceful repose.
The Aduana Abrade Family of Agona Asafo in the Central Region of the Republic of Ghanatogether with the children sadly announce the passing of their beloved, Professor Kwesi Botchwey which sad event occurred on November 19, 2022, at the Korle Bu Teaching hospital, Accra, Ghana after a short illness.
A book of condolence has been opened at his residence at House No. 31Asanfena Crescent, Platinum Place, Regimanual Gray Estates, East Aiport, Accra for well-wishers between the hours of 9am -12 noon and 2:00pm-6:00pm from Monday to Friday.
The date for the funeral service will be announced in due course.
Describing him as an exceptional public servant, Akufo-Addonoted that Prof. Kwesi Botchwey discharged his duties with dignity and thoughtfulness.
Bemoaning the death of his friend, President Akufo-Addo in a Facebook page stated that “the death of my good friend, Dr. Kwesi Botchway, is a very sad development. My contemporary, in the mid-1960s, at the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr. Botchway was a longstanding public servant, who discharged his duties thoughtfully and with dignity, and became Ghana’s longest-serving Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.
President Akufo-Addo in his post extended his condolences to the bereaved family and members of his political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“The thoughts and sympathies of my wife, Rebecca, the First Lady, and I are with his partner, children and family. I extend my deepest condolences to them, and also to the National Democratic Congress, of which he was a prominent and much respected member. Ghana has lost a fine gentleman and exceptional public servant.”
Former Minister of Finance, Professor Kwesi Botchwey died on November 19, 2022, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where he was receiving medical attention.
Prof. Botchwey, Ghana’s longest-serving Finance Minister, was born on September 3, 1944.
He served alongside Ghana’s longest-serving leader, the late former President Jerry John Rawlings.
He served during the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) military era (1982–1991) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) constitutional era (1992–1995).
Prof. Botchwey earned an LL.B. from the University of Ghana, an LL.M. from Yale Law School, and a doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School.
He held academic positions at the Universities of Ghana, Zambia, and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Dr. Botchwey’s previous work includes advising the World Bank on the 1997 World Development Report.
He served as a member and Chairman of the IMF’s Group of Independent Experts that carried out the first-ever independent assessment of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility. He also served as an advisor to the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) and the UNDP’s UN Special Initiative on Africa.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has expressed shock over the passing of former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwesi Botchwey.
Mourning the late Finance Minister in a post on Facebook after a visit to his family, Mr Mahama recollected dancing to ‘Buga’ a popular dance song by Nigerian artiste Kizz Daniel at Dr Botchwey’s 78th birthday party.
Mr Mahama added that Dr. Botchwey had served his “God, country, and the NDC party faithfully, and now it was time to have a rest.”
Dr Botchwey died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Saturday, 19 November 2022, at the age of 78.
Dr Botchwey first served as finance minister during the military era of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) from 1982 to 1991 and then in the constitutional period of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from 1992 to 1995.
Professor Kwesi Botchwey, Ghana’s longest-serving Finance Minister has disclosed that he decided to step back in the running mate nomination of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The reason, he said was to allow for fresh faces to take up that position and that anybody who is articulate and understands the fundamentals of governance fits that position.
He, however, disagreed with suggestions that it is only persons with economics background that fits the vice-presidential position or slot.
Responding to what he makes of the selection of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as the running mate of Mr John Dramani Mahama, Prof Botchwey said she has what it takes to partner the NDC flagbearer.
He said she has proven track records to partner the flagbearer to capture power in the December 7, 2020 polls.
Prof Botchwey’s name came up last year as a possible choice as running mate to the NDC flagbearer.
But reacting after Prof Opoku-Agyemang was selected, Prof Botchwey said: “I think that every party, our party [NDC] especially has forged a generational transition so that we, the older ones can step back a bit to provide guidance and support.”
“We can’t have the same generation or people leading the party. That was my view and I think I’ve been vindicated, you’ve seen Naana, she is very focused, she is very driven, she is humble, she is well spoken, she is every bit of what we will want to see in the vice-president. So this is about Naana, it is not about Kwesi Botchwey.â€
â€There is nothing in our laws, in our constitution anywhere that says that the vice-president must be an economist. What you need is to be a good social analyst, a good social scientist, with the tools to ask the right questions and be focused on the business of national development and that is all you need.â€
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is yet to announce its vice-presidential candidate.
Reports that five persons have been already selected emerged a few days ago but the NDC debunked it saying “the general public is therefore advised to ignore any such frivolous and fictitious letter, which is clearly a creation of some unscrupulous persons, who want to divert attention from serious burning national issues,â€
Speaking in a panel discussion on Peace FM morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ Sammy Awuku, the National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said “it’s going to be Professor Kwesi Botchwey“.
Professor Kwesi Botchwey, Ghana’s longest-serving Finance Minister is tipped by many to become the running mate to former President John Dramani Mahama for Election 2020
