A former Minister of Trade and Industry, Dan Abodakpi, has described as remarkable the contributions of Former Finance Minister, Professor Kwesi Botchwey.

According to him, the former Finance Minister will always be remembered as the Minister who changed the country’s economic fortunes.

Professor Kwesi Botchwey died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra on Saturday, November 19, 2022.

Prof. Botchwey served in the Rawlings government under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regime from 1982 to 1991 and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) civilian regime as the Secretary for Finance and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning from 1992 to 1995, making him the longest-serving finance minister.

Commenting after hearing the death of the former statesman, Dan Abodakpi said Ghana has truly lost an illustrious son.

Dan Abodakpi described the news as shocking and doubting because he was with the late Prof. Botchwey about three weeks ago at a Council of Elders meeting.

“The news of his passing has hit me like a big blow because it is just about three weeks ago that we met at the Council of Elders Meeting of the Party. So when I read the information on my WhatsApp, I was very doubtful.”

He added that the late Prof. Botchwey has duly paid his dues to both his party and country and his contributions towards the development of the country were impactful.

“When there was some controversy over the introduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT), Kwesi was a very hardworking individual, a team player, somebody who believes deeply in the values of the revolution and did his best to make sure that the goals and objectives of the 31 December Revolution were realized.”

“When we transitioned into democracy, he was an active participant in that process and, while working at the Ministry of Finance, did whatever he could to help us navigate some of the rough waters. Personally, I have lost a friend, I have lost a great ideological partner and this country has lost a great son.”

Professor Kwesi Botchwey was a member and Chairman of IMF‘s Group of Independent Experts who conducted the first-ever external evaluation of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility, an advisor to the UNDP’s UN Special Initiative on Africa, and an advisor to the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM).