Kwesi Botchwey was a fighter like Speaker Bagbin - Moshake

Former Executive of the Tema East Constituency branch of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Stephen Ashitey Adjei, has joined the chorus of voices eulogizing late former Finance Minister, Prof. Kwesi Botchwey.

In a write-up published on social media on Friday, Mr. Ashitey Adjei described Prof. Botchwey as a fighter at heart who belongs to a rare breed of Ghanaians that includes Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.

“Prof. Kwesi Botchwey was a fighter at heart just like the current Speaker of Parliament,

Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin. His demise is a huge loss to Ghana that leaves a vacuum that can never be filled,” Moshake wrote.

Explaining, Moshake reiterated that Prof. Botchwey is one of the founding fathers of the Fourth Republic. “From the revolutionary days, when in this country even toilets were not flashing, he helped Rawlings to rescue the economy, and shape it so that the Fourth Republic could take off.”

He adds, that “in many ways he is like Speaker Bagbin because the two of them had to fight to make it in politics against special odds which they conquered by dint of hard work and humility.

Ghana’s longest-serving Finance Minister, Professor Kwesi Botchwey, was laid to rest after a state funeral service was held for him at the State House on Thursday, December 22, 2022.

Several dignitaries including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former President John Dramani Mahama, former Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, a host of other NDC officials among others.

Remembering Prof. Botchwey, Moshake wrote that as a fighter, he was astute in his stance, sometimes even against opposition from within his own government. “I remember after former President Rawlings had had his term in early 2001, Dr. Obed Asamoah urged Prof. Botchwey, who was then arguably the most qualified person to lead the NDC to contest for the presidential primary. Former President Rawlings was in support of Mills’ candidature instead but Prof. Botchwey went ahead to contest in 2003.

At that time, defying Rawlings was unheard of,” Moshake wrote.

He added that, “every NDC member owes Prof. Kwesi Botchwey a salute because by his defiance of the party founder, he instigated internal democracy within the NDC and set it on the footing that enabled the NDC to produce astute leaders like Speaker Bagbin.”

As a kindred spirit of Prof. Kwesi Botchwey, Moshake wrote that Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin also fought his way to the top like Prof. Botchwey. “Bagbin was exhibiting the Kwesi Botchwey spirit when he became the most resilient Minority Leader in the history of Parliament, when the NDC was in opposition and Kufuor was using his government to jail NDC members.

“Many either left the country or kept quiet, but not Bagbin; he took the Kufuor government to task until the NPP was voted out in 2008.”

He added that Bagbin was also an outstanding Majority Leader under the presidency of Mills and that like Kwesi Botchwey, the respect that he commands is well earned.”