Contributions Of Late VEEP Amissah-Arthur To Ghana’s Development

Death is inevitable but the headache of man is when, where and how? Mr. Amissah-Arthur met his untimely death on June 29 during a routine physical exercise with his wife at the Ghana Armed Forces Gym in Burma Camp. He was the fifth former Vice President of the country after independence and the fourth under the fourth Republic. Unfortunately, four out of the five are dead. The death of Mr. Amissah-Arthur was sudden and least expected. This was because he was not reported sick. The news of his death therefore hit the nation like a tsunami and left many in tears. Paa Kwesi as he was affectionately called was born in April 1951 in Cape Coast to Jabesh Amissah-Arthur, an educationist and first headmaster of Akyem Oda SHS in the Eastern Region, and Mrs. Effie Amissah-Arthur. Mr. Amissah-Arthur was among the key architects of the Better Ghana Agenda manifesto of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2008 campaign, which brought the late President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills to power in 2009. It was therefore not a surprise for many when Prof Atta Mills appointed him Governor of the Bank of Ghana on October 1, 2009. One remarkable achievement during his tenure was the longest single digit inflation rate recorded since independence.

The untimely death of Prof. Atta Mills on July 24, 2012, with John Mahama, then his Vice President succeeding him, opened another chapter in the public service duties of Mr.
Amissah-Arthur. On August 6, 2012, he was sworn in as the Vice President of the Republic and again on January 7, 2013, following the election of Mr. Mahama as President in the 2012 general elections. As the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and Vice President, Mr. Amissah-Arthur discharged his duties devoid of courting unnecessary controversies but worked diligently and in humility. Even his fiercest political opponents admire his calm nature, respect for all and humble disposition. Just as Jesus Christ promised his disciples on the day of Pentecost so did Mr. Amissah-Arthur promise academia. When he became the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, he ensured that some of the bank’s profits were used to enhance academic facilities on campuses of some universities, notably the University of Ghana and the University of Cape Coast. Today, the University of Cape Coast can proudly boast of a state of the art Language Centre, named after the late Vice President. It is known as Amissah-Arthur Language Centre. On the University of Ghana campus is a one thousand seater multi-purpose building known as the Cedi Centre. Even Breman Asikuma SHS in the Central Region, could not be left out of the generosity of the late Vice President. He provided the school with 10 biofil toilet facilities to coincide with the school’s 50th anniversary in October 2015. It didn’t just end there. The meticulousness of Mr. Amissah-Arthur reflected in everything that he did. This could be attributed to his upbringing as a Methodist. He was methodical, disciplined, and never departed from his God as a staunch Methodist. No wonder the church regarded him as an icon and an inspiration. He worshipped regularly with the wife Matilda at the Calvary Methodist Church at Adabraka in Accra.

The death of Mr. Amissah-Arthur has added to the mystery of the Central Region having produced some of the finest Vice Presidents for the country so far and yet none is alive. From Degraft Johnson, Ekow Arkaah, Prof. Atta Mills to Amissah-Arthur. Your Excellency, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur: You served your nation well and you will forever remain in our minds and in our hearts. Rest in Perfect Peace.

BY: SETH EYIAH - A FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CORRESPONDENT WHO COVERED MR AMISSAH-ARTHUR.

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