RE-LIVING BAAH-WIREDU (A BRIEF RECALL)

The death of Ghana's Finance Minister, Kodwo Baah-Wiredu, is no welcome news to many.
Baah-Wiredu before becoming minister made quite a name in the wake of the millennium bug getting to the end the 20th century. He was said to be a computer wizard.
As Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, he saw to the creation of new districts so as to facilitate development and ease the burden on some local government structures as a result of increasing population among others.

At the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports he supervised the implementation of the Computerised Schools Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) for entrance /admissions to the senior secondary schools (SSS) now senior high schools (SHS).

At the ministry of Finance and Economic Planning he first implemented the constitutional provision that requires a government to present its budget to Parliament before the commencement of the Government's fiscal year.It was also during his tenure that the cedi was re-denominated.

I have been amazed at the simplicity of the Hon. Minister. He has no bodyguard. And unlike other ministers, his driver appears more like a working partner- he does not leave him 'behind' (to watch the car) as most government officials do.

By his calm posture, it comes as a surprise to some people that he attended a boys school (Kumasi High School) and was affiliated to an all-male hall (the Commonwealth Hall) at the University of Ghana.

As a service personnel at the ministries, I see how he interacts with workers freely. Which defies the attitude of many not just Chartered Accountants, Members of Parliament or Ministers of State.

The question I ask is: Was Baah-Wiredu a Minister?

Picture above:

To my left: Baah-Wiredu in white shirt and cap with other delegates/participants at the 38th congress of the National Union of Ghana Students in September 2004.

Behind us in spectacle is Baah-Wiredu's driver.

Saeed Musah-Khaleepha

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