Accra, March 20 (IFS/GNA) – Dr Anthony Akoto Osei was born in Sunyani to one Mr. Osei a distinguished statesman on April 18, 1953.
He was a Member of Parliament for Old Tafo in the Ashanti Region, Ranking Member for the Committee on Finance, and member of the committee on Interior and Defence.
Dr Akoto Osei obtained a PhD from Howard University in 1987, a Master of Arts degree in Applied Economics from the American University in 1980.
He had earlier obtained a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Economics from Oberlin College in Ohio in 1978.
He attended Achimota and Opoku Ware Secondary Schools, where he obtained his G.C.E Advanced and Ordinary levels respectively.
Dr Akoto Osei was considered as one of the finest Economist in recent years, acquiring his experience from providing consultancy services for the World Bank (Korea Division) in 1987, teaching at Dillard and Howard Universities from 1984 to 1995 as an Associate Professor in Economics and as a Research Fellow for the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA) from 1996-2001 in Ghana.
He had many academic publications in the area of Monetary, International and Quantitative Economics to his name.
In the erstwhile Kufour Administration, he was made first, (from 2001-2003) a Special Advisor to the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and later appointed a Deputy Minister of the same Ministry in 2003.
He was elevated to Minister of State at the same Ministry, a position he held until his party lost power in December 2008.
Dr Akoto Osei’s undying interest for monetary Economics, International Economics and Quantitative Economics distinguished him as a fine Economist in his time, and earned him honours’ and accolades.
He strived continually to alleviate poverty in the society and was involved in high level negotiations to secure funding to support micro projects, including road construction, electrification, agricultural projects, sanitation and others.
In addition, he was involved in charity work, which entailed providing food and shelter for the less privileged.
In 2006, he founded the Wealth Creation and Social Development Skills Training Center which trains about one hundred youth every year.
GNA/Credit: IFS