The death of Okyenheneba Dr. Akwasi Jones Ofori-Atta, father of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has officially been announced.
His family announced his death on Tuesday night, December 1, 2020.
“Dr. Ofori-Atta was 86 years and died in Accra on November 30th, 2020,” the family said in a statement.
Below is the full statement from the family
The death is announced of Okyenheneba Dr. Akwasi Jones Ofori-Atta, Member of Parliament for Begoro 1969-1972, now Fanteakwa in the Eastern Region; a Lecturer of Economics and later Dean of the Faculty of Social Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon. He was Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in the Second Republic (1969-1972).
Dr. Ofori-Atta was 86 years and died in Accra on November 30th, 2020.
In 1980/81; Okyenhene Ba, went on to become Opposition Spokesperson on Finance during the Third Republic and was renowned for his cogent distilling of economics, sufficient enough to gain the support of the Majority in the House to return their own government’s budget for ‘further and better particulars’.
In 1981, he was forced out of Ghana into exile, and found work as the Economic Advisor to the Governor of the Central Bank of Uganda. He returned to Ghana in 1992, with the lift on the ban on politics.
Okyenheneba contested with Professor Adu-Boahen for the role of presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Post 1993, Okyeneheneba set up private practice as an Economic Consultant, worked with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and led the Economic team of the NPP, again in Opposition, to draft their Manifesto of 1996.
Okyenhene Ba was awarded the Star of the Volta by President Kufuor. He served as a Chairman of the Volta River Authority (2001-2003)
He retired from politics and public life and returned to Kyebi, capital of Okyeman, to start an organic cocoa farm and support the establishment of the Kyebi Youth Choir, modelled on the template of the Winneba Youth Choir.
Okyenhene Ba is the father of 4 – Ken Ofori-Atta – Minister of Finance; Duke Ofori-Atta; Earl Ofori-Atta and Nana Yaa Ofori-Atta. He was preceded by his first wife Mrs. Maud Ofori-Atta and is survived by his widow Mrs. Ellen Ofori-Atta and 9 grand children.
He was the son of Okyenhene Yere, Maame Duodua and Nana Sir Ofori Atta; brother to Grace Amoakwa Ofori-Atta – Ghana’s first female National Librarian.
His father, Nana Sir Ofori-Atta, was the longest serving African member of the Legislative Assembly (the Parliament of the Gold Coast); the first traditional ruler to establish a Stool Fund from which he founded schools and infrastructure in Okyeman, had 44 wives.
Amongst Okyenehene Ba’s over 100 siblings were William ‘Paa Willie’ Ofori-Atta, a member of the Big Six, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education, Youth and Sports in the Second Republic; His Excellency Kuntukununku Eugene Ofori-Atta, High Commissioner to Uganda; Mrs. Adeline Akufo-Addo, First Lady of the Second Republic; Dr. Susan DeGraft Johnson first woman Doctor of the Gold Coast; Mr AA Ampofo: Upper Regional Administrator; Mr Yaw Guggisberg Asante, Trade Unionist; Mr. Ofori Panin Ofori-Atta (Beyeaman); and Mr. Alexander Ofori-Atta, Father of Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.
Funeral announcements will be made in due course.
By Melvin Tarlue