The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia have paid glowing tribute to former Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, describing him as a man who served Ghana well.
Dr. Bawumia grieved the death of the former Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation as a “complete shock”.
Dr. Akoto Osei died on Monday March 20, 2023 at the University of Ghana Medical Centre.
NPP’s tribute
NPP in a statement issued by its National Chairman Stephen Ayensu Ntim said the late Akoto Osei was a renowned statesman having served this country with distinction as a Minister of State at the Finance Ministry during the Kufuor administration, and later as a Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation in the first term of the Akufo-Addo administration.
“The late distinguished banker, as he was known to all, embodied humility, dedication and selflessness in his service to Party and country.
“The Party extends its heartfelt condolences to his immediate family and also commiserates with the rest of the nation for the painful loss of this illustrious citizen.
“In honour of his memory, the NPP directs that all Party flags at the national headquarters and in the respective regions and constituencies be flown at half-mast for the next seven days”, the statement concluded.
Bawumia’s eulogy
In a social media post to eulogise the former minister, Vice President Bawumia said Dr. Akoto 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.
“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,” Vice President Bawumia stated.
About 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.
Akoto 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.
Akoto Osei 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 President John Agyekum Kufuor he was made first (from 2001-2003), a special advisor to the Minister for 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 100 young people every year.
In February 2017 Osei was sworn in as minister of monitoring and evaluation in the Akufo-Addo government.
He was also part of President Akufo-Addo’s cabinet and a member of the Economic Management Team (EMT) from 2017-2021.
