Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has paid tribute to the late Dr Isaac Akuetteh Bampoe Addo, the former Executive Secretary of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG), recalling their work together on wage negotiations, the COVID-19 pandemic and the domestic debt exchange programme.
The tribute appeared in the funeral brochure for Dr Bampoe Addo and his twin brother, Sidney Nii Oko Bampoe Addo, according to Graphic Online. It was released as final funeral rites were held at the forecourt of the State House in Accra.
Dr Bampoe Addo died on Friday, August 21, 2026, at the age of 59. Sidney, a Deputy Director at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, died on Monday, September 14, 2026, also aged 59.
Why it matters
The tribute places a labour leader at the centre of some of Ghana's most difficult recent economic negotiations. Graphic Online reports that Mr Ofori-Atta credited Dr Bampoe Addo with helping to hold talks together during the pandemic and the debt exchange, a process the former minister acknowledged left participants feeling bruised even as a deal was reached.
It also underlines the standing Dr Bampoe Addo held among his peers. Mr Ofori-Atta ranked him alongside figures he described as belonging to the most respected tier of union leadership, naming Tewiah, Appiah-Adjei, Azu, Amanakwah, Asamoah and Dr Baah.
A working relationship spanning seven years
In the tribute, Mr Ofori-Atta described Dr Bampoe Addo as an enigma and a patriot, calling him a blend of firmness and wit. He wrote that the two had worked together for seven years on negotiations over the national daily minimum wage and on the setting of base pay under the Public Service Joint Staff Negotiating Committee.
He also referred to Dr Bampoe Addo as the "Lion King of CLOGSAG," a description carried in the brochure.
Mr Ofori-Atta wrote that both men shared a conviction about steering the country through a difficult passage, and he credited the labour leader with building a career out of engagement with the unions. He noted that Dr Bampoe Addo's leadership stood out at moments when the country was exposed, and that his tactical approach helped keep the process steady while the government argued its case.
Pandemic and debt exchange
The former minister singled out two episodes. The first was the COVID-19 pandemic. The second was the domestic debt exchange programme, during which, he wrote, Dr Bampoe Addo remained mindful of the people he represented and continued to look after their interests.
Mr Ofori-Atta said the debt exchange talks were arduous, and that the eventual agreement allowed the country to move forward. He wrote that those involved came away with wounds but also with a sense of satisfaction that they had given their best to both the nation and the unions.
He described Dr Bampoe Addo as widely respected and a tough negotiator, and said their working relationship rested on trust.
Funeral rites and tributes from other leaders
The State House forecourt programme began with a filing past from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., followed by a burial service from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. A private interment followed, and final funeral rites continued at the same venue from noon to 5:00 p.m.
President John Mahama also paid tribute to the brothers, with Graphic Online reporting that he described their passing as a blow to the nation.
A thanksgiving service is scheduled for Sunday, November 8, at Winners Chapel in the North Industrial Area, starting at 9:00 a.m. A thanksgiving reception will follow at Accra Academy in Bubuashie at noon.
What to watch: whether the government and organised labour carry the tone of the Ofori-Atta tribute into the next round of base pay and minimum wage talks.
