Kwesi Botchwey: A tribute to a great son of Ghana
Kwesi B, as he was affectionately called, attended Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School before proceeding to the University of Ghana to pursue an LLB. He was at the Yale Law School for his LLM and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School for his doctorate.
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The death of Prof. Kwesi Botwey in the early hours of Saturday, November 19, 2022, is another reminder to all that whatever we do on earth, a day is coming when all will answer the ultimate call and return to the great beyond.
Just as it is said that the world is a school, there is a lot to deduce from the accomplished statesman, economist, scholar, philanthropist, and politician who died after a brief illness.
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With his exit the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has been robbed of a formidable rallying point, a respectable voice of both reason and courage and a true gentleman.
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Born on September 13, 1942, in the northern regional capital, Tamale, Prof. Kwesi Botwey, came to the limelight when he was appointed by the Rawlings’s government under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) military regime and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) civilian reign as the Secretary for Finance and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning respectively.
Kwesi B, as he was affectionately called, attended Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School before proceeding to the University of Ghana to pursue an LLB. He was at the Yale Law School for his LLM and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School for his doctorate.
He was a Professor of Practice in Development Economics at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University at the time of his demise.
The late Prof. Botwey, was a key member of the NDC, appointed after the first round defeat of John Dramani Mahama, then in government, in the 2016 presidential elections to oversee a restructuring and regrouping of the party.
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On the international stage, he served as an Advisor to the World Bank on the 1997 World Development Report, UNDP’s UN Special Initiative on Africa and a Member and Chairman of International Monetary Fund’s Group of Independent Experts who conducted the first ever external evaluation of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility.
Kwesi Botwey’s greatest strength was his broadmindedness and tolerance that abhorred division along party lines. He demonstrated his love, patriotism and dedication to the ideals of nationhood and will be sorely missed by principled men and women who are in politics beyond selfish desires.
Judging from the condolences, and Kwesi Botwey’s life and times, we believe the younger generation has a lot to learn from the 80 years he lived on earth.
Politicians should also learn from the brand of peaceful politics he played during his time.
May his soul rest in peace.
Source: Theheraldghana
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