One week on: Observing the passing of former Vice President Amissah-Arthur

• Posted on July 6, 2018
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

The whole of Ghana was thrown into a state of the morning on Friday, June 29, when news came trickling in that the immediate former vice president of Ghana, Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, had died.

After reports were confirmed that the former statesman collapsed at the Air Force Gym in Accra but was pronounced dead on arrival at the 37 Military Hospital, many messages of condolence started coming in.

Many past and current government officials used whatever means available to them to commiserate with the bereaved family.

Chief among the messages of condolence came from President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and former president John Dramani Mahama.

Many celebrities including Sarkodie, Joselyn Dumas, Ama K Abebrese and rapper Edem took to their social media handles to share in the grief of the nation’s great loss.

Before becoming vice president in August 2012, Mr. Amissah-Arthur was Governor of the Bank of Ghana from 2009 to 2012.

From 1983 to 1986, he served as a special assistant to the Secretary of Finance and Economic Planning, Kwesi Botchwey under the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) government.

He also served as the Deputy Secretary for Finance in the PNDC government from February 1986 to March 1993.

From April 1993, he continued as the Deputy Minister for Finance in the under the Fourth Republic’s first government until March 1997.

Mr. Amissah-Arthur was appointed as Governor of the Bank of Ghana in October 2009 by then-President John Atta Mills