Professor Kwesi Botchwey, Ghana’s longest-serving finance minister, has been buried.
On Thursday, December 22, 2022, a state funeral service was performed at the State House for the late National Democratic Congress stalwart, following which a private burial service was planned for him.
Several luminaries attended, including Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the NDC, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Speaker of Parliament Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, and former President John Dramani Mahama.
On November 19, 2022, Prof. Botchwey passed away at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where he was receiving medical attention.
After turning 80, he passed away a month later.
Despite Prof. Botchwey’s many accomplishments, the NDC Chairman, Asiedu Nketiah, said in a eulogy read on behalf of the party at the memorial service, “He remained humble, courteous, polite, patient to a fault and an arbiter at all levels for his Party, the NDC.”
“We treasure the legacy he left behind, notwithstanding the grief and pains his family, friends and political colleagues are going through. We mourn our late brother, friend, and comrade-in-arms, for he meant a lot to the umbrella family.
“Prof Kwesi Botchwey’s loyalty, selfless commitment, devotion to duty, and unparalleled hard work will always remain a beacon for us to cherish and to aspire to. We take consolation in the fact that our late comrade had a purposeful and fulfilled life on earth.”
Senior Presidential Advisor Yaw Osafo-Maafo, who also presented a eulogy at the funeral, praised the late Finance Minister for his significant contributions to the expansion of Ghana’s economy..
“As someone with in-depth knowledge of economics, he contributed immensely to Ghana’s economy. The late Prof. Kwesi Botchwey’s dedication to his work gained him international recognition, and he served in many international organizations. Prof. Kwesi Botchwey was a blessing to the nation Ghana, to Africa, and to the world at large, he played a major role in enhancing the economy of Ghana and Africa. His death is a huge loss to us,” he further stated.
Professor Kwesi Botchwey was born on September 13, 1942, in Tamale in the Northern Region.
From 1982 through 1993, the late Jerry John Rawlings assigned him to help stabilize Ghana’s crumbling economy.
After Ghana’s return to democratic rule on January 7, 1993, he stayed in his position as finance minister and held it through 1995 before being succeeded by his then-deputy, Kwame Peprah.
The formerly employed official currently teaches development economics at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
He attended the Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School in Ghana for his secondary schooling.
Prof. Botchwey graduated with a PhD in law from the University of Michigan School of Law, an LL.M. from Yale Law School, and an LL.B. from the University of Ghana.
He taught at the University of Zambia, the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and the University of Ghana.
He was on September 3, 1944, and was a member of the Council of Elders of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
