Legacies Of Late Paul Victor Obeng

NEWS COMMENTARY ON SOME OF THE LEGACIES OF PV OBENG 
 
If we had the power indeed we would not spare it to bring back to life this illustrious son of Mother Ghana who bowed out on that
fateful Saturday 17th May. A time has come to finally lay to rest Sir. 

Ing. Dr. Paul Victor Obeng,  a distinguished statesman par excellence as he goes back to the Almighty God.  Now we look for PV Obeng in rainbows way up in the sky when we can no more behold his bright shiny eyes, as he shares words of wisdom and knowledge. 

P V is far away gone into the silent land.  As Ghanaians we cannot pay  our tributes
enough to this great son of the land if we forget soon  some of the ideals he stood for.  

His admonition  at the National Economic Forum on the eve of his departure for all well-meaning Ghanaians to be nationalistic in our  quest for sustainable national development should not in anyway  be toyed with . 

As somebody with a heart for Ghana, he worked towards rallying  the nation behind a
nationally-owned and shared vision by creating the opportunity for a broad spectrum of Ghanaians to frame a long term vision for national development.

He was  of the opinion  that  if there is any time that Ghana needs a long term outlook to development planning, it is now
when Ghana has become an oil exporting state.  

Paul Victor Obeng did not only preach these virtues of hard work and commitment to duty, but he lived by them till his last breath. No wonder,  President John
Dramani Mahama described him as a tireless public servant, a shoulder that can be reliably leaned on for advice, guidance and support.

When he was appointed the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission in June  2010, he set to work to achieve towards the  transformation of the commission  to reflect the views and aspirations of all shades of political opinions.  

He indeed believed that as Ghana is in transition to a full middle income status there is the need to explore ways of achieving the long-held goals of the founding fathers which is a free just and prosperous society where all citizens enjoy a decent standard  of living.  

PV Obeng was an advocate and promoter of Public- Private Partnership. It was his initiative
that led to the setting up of an Enabling Environment Subcommittee at the NDPC to examine issues of patriotism and civic rights and
responsibilities  in the Country.

He had keen interest in the development of a National Infrasructure Plan,which  has reached an advanced stage but alas! he had to bow out before its implementation.

The only way to pay tribute  to this statesman  is for all well
meaning Ghanaians to help consolidate his development efforts and address the weaknesses identified in our development process by holding in high esteem the ‘Ghana first’ attitude above all other interests. 

That  P V Obeng  has paid his dues well enough is an understatement.  

He has indeed registered his name in the list of gallant ancestors who are referred to in the National Pledge as having sacrificed for mother Ghana with their  toil and  blood.  

Let us all as Ghanaians not allow his toil to be in vain by inculcating in us this long term nationalist attitude towards national development.

For this is a sure way of joining the developed economies. May he rest in perfect peace!

BY DAVID OWUSU-AMOAH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING COMMISSION.