Meet Ken Ofori-Atta’s father

Dr Jones Ofori-Atta, a respected Ghanaian economist, academic and politician, holds an important place in the country’s post-independence political and intellectual history.

In more recent years, he has often been mentioned as the father of former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta. However, long before that association, he built a distinguished public career that spanned the university lecture hall, Parliament and government, with an influence that has endured well beyond his active years in public life.

Born on December 7, 1937, in the Eastern Region, Jones Ofori-Atta came from the prominent Ofori-Atta family of Akyem Abuakwa. He was the son of Nana Sir Ofori Atta I, the Okyenhene and one of the most influential traditional rulers in Ghana’s colonial and early post-colonial political development. Growing up within this environment placed him early on at the crossroads of traditional leadership and modern national politics.

His early education took him through Achimota School, one of Ghana’s most prestigious institutions, before he proceeded to the University of Ghana for his undergraduate studies. He later travelled to Canada, where he obtained a doctorate in economics from the University of Ottawa. At a time when Ghana was nurturing its first generation of post-independence scholars, this academic achievement firmly established him as a serious and disciplined economist.

Upon returning to Ghana, Ofori-Atta joined the University of Ghana as a lecturer. He became known for his strong analytical skills and clear approach to economic issues. His academic journey reached a high point when he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, a position that reflected both his scholarly reputation and his influence within the broader policy and intellectual community.

His move from academia into active politics came during the Second Republic. In 1969, he won the Begoro parliamentary seat on the ticket of the Progress Party. He was subsequently appointed Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning under Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia.

In that role, Ofori-Atta was involved in economic policymaking at a particularly difficult period in Ghana’s history. The country was facing serious balance-of-payments problems, currency pressures and structural economic challenges inherited from previous administrations. His tenure required engagement with tough fiscal choices, many of which later became the subject of intense debate, especially after the overthrow of the Busia government in the 1972 military coup.

After spending some years away from frontline politics, he returned to Parliament in 1979 during the Third Republic. He served as a Member of Parliament for the Popular Front Party and took on the role of an opposition finance spokesperson. During this period, he earned recognition as a thoughtful and articulate voice in parliamentary discussions on economic policy and governance.

Ofori-Atta remained firmly aligned with the Danquah-Busia political tradition. In 1996, he contested the New Patriotic Party’s presidential primaries, though he did not secure the nomination. Following his withdrawal from electoral politics, he continued to contribute to national debates through policy advice and public commentary.

Outside Parliament, he held several public appointments, including serving as Chairman of the Volta River Authority in the early 2000s. In that capacity, he played a role in discussions on energy policy and infrastructure development at a time when power supply and long-term planning were critical national concerns.

Public debate and historical scrutiny

Jones Ofori-Atta’s record in public life has been the subject of sustained debate. His role at the Ministry of Finance during the Busia administration has frequently been revisited by historians and analysts examining the economic conditions that preceded the 1972 coup.

These discussions resurfaced more prominently during the tenure of his son as finance minister, demonstrating how Ghana’s political history often re-enters contemporary discourse. While critics have questioned some of the economic decisions associated with the period, supporters argue that his actions should be assessed within the difficult constraints of the time. They credit him with intellectual integrity and a commitment to democratic governance during a politically unstable era.

Death and lasting influence

Jones Ofori-Atta died on November 30, 2020, at the age of 86. Following his death, tributes described him as a scholar-politician who combined academic discipline with public service, and as a mentor whose influence shaped several generations of economists and policymakers.

He was the father of four children: Ken Ofori-Atta, former Minister of Finance; Duke Ofori-Atta; Earl Ofori-Atta; and Nana Yaa Ofori-Atta. He was predeceased by his first wife, Maud, and is survived by his widow, Ellen, as well as his grandchildren.

He was the son of Okyenhene Yere Maame Duodua and Nana Sir Ofori-Atta, and the brother of Grace Amoakwaa Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s first female national librarian. His father, Nana Sir Ofori-Atta, was the longest-serving African member of the Legislative Assembly of the Gold Coast and the first traditional ruler to establish a stool fund, which he used to promote education and infrastructure development in Okyeman. Nana Sir Ofori-Atta was famously married to 44 wives, resulting in a very large family.

As a result, Jones Ofori-Atta had over 100 siblings. Among them were William “Paa Willie” Ofori-Atta, a member of the Big Six and a minister in the Second Republic; Eugene Aaron Ofori-Atta, Speaker of Parliament in the First Republic; and Kwasi Amoako-Atta, who served as finance minister in the First Republic.

He was also related to several other notable figures, including Eugene Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Uganda; Adeline Akufo-Addo, First Lady during the Second Republic; Dr Susan DeGraft Johnson, the first female medical doctor in the Gold Coast; A. A. Ampofo, a former administrator of the Upper Region; the trade unionist Yaw Guggisberg Asante; Ofori Panin Ofori-Atta (Beyeeman); and Alexander Ofori-Atta, the father of the current Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.

Today, Jones Ofori-Atta is remembered as part of a generation that worked to define Ghana’s political and economic direction after independence, a public intellectual whose ideas, decisions and family lineage continue to echo within the nation’s historical and political narrative…CONTINUE MORE READING>>>