AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRESIDENT John Magufuli has joined domestic and foreign economists in mourning the death of former governor of the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) Prof Benno Ndulu, who passed on Monday in Dar es Salaam.
President Magufuli sent a message of condolence to the family of the fallen economist and all the bereaved.
Through his twitter account, the Head of State expressed sadness on the passing on of Prof Ndulu who devoted his skills and talents in serving the country.
He said the late Ndulu will be remembered for his distinguished service, truthfulness, hardworking, patriotism and his respect for all.
“I will remember him for his pieces of advice aimed at improving the country’s economy, particularly in steering financial sector reforms,” said President Magufuli.
The Economic Development Institutions (EDI) also mourned the late Prof Ndulu, noting that he was highly respected at the Oxford.
“Benno was a long standing member of the EDI Scientific Committee working on the Institutional Diagnostic research in Tanzania and advising on the Benin and Mozambique country studies,” EDI said in a statement on Tuesday
The EDI is a five-year collaborative research programme launched in 2015 through funding from the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).
Prof Ndulu was a prof of economics at the University of Dar es Salaam since the 1980s, helped set up the Africa Economic Research Consortium, which is now vital infrastructure for economists across Africa and then became a lead economist at the World Bank in Dar es Salaam and an advisor to World Bank’s Vice President, Africa Region in Washington DC.
He had a doctorate from North Western University, Illinois, and an honorary doctorate from ISS, The Hague.
More recently he was a visiting professor at Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford, and a contributor and scientific committee member on EDI.
“Those of us who have known him for decades remember a warm, witty and delightful man who was a joy to work with.
Behind his wit and warmth, however, was one of the most knowledgeable development economists in the profession and one of the most experienced policy makers in the African context,” read the statement.
“It is hard to overstate his importance as a resource to Tanzania – a massive intellect, with a deep understanding of the country and with the political skills to acquire the roles and influence necessary to shape policy very wisely for at least 30 years,” the statement added.
It said that Prof Ndulu was not only the nation’s economist, but also, an invaluable resource for the whole continent and the whole profession.
“Within EDI, he has been a huge asset to have on board not only for the Tanzania case study but also as a sounding board and contributor to many other aspects of the project.
To all those who knew him, Benno had lately become the archetype of what is meant by the ‘wise old man’ and rarely the old African saying that “when an old man dies, a whole library burns to the ground” has been as relevant, EDI said in the statement.
“We pass our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” it concluded.
