The sudden death at the end of February, of Mrs. Felicity Acquah (Nee Adu-Acheampong), came as a shock to some of us. She was too full of life to bow to death so soon.

But that is the sad tale of human life. Death comes like a thief when least expected and unleashes devastation on loved ones.

And so the saying that “Death is no respecter of persons” came too vivid with the loss of this woman of excellence, a Project Analyst and a Development Banker par excellence.

With such impeccable credentials, spanning a period of over 30 years in banking and business development, Mrs. Acquah was appointed the first female Managing Director of Eximguaranty Company Ltd., Ghana, in 2002, a role she served diligently for a decade.

During that time, she was said to have increased the financial institution’s turnover by over 300 percent, between 2002 and 2009. She enhanced the visibility of Eximguaranty Company and the widespread acceptance of its role in the economy.

Before then, she pioneered the establishment of an Entrepreneurship and Business Institution (Empretec Ghana Foundation) which was initially sponsored by UNCTG, UNDP, DFID, and the World Bank. She rose to become the Deputy Director of the Foundation.

While at Empretec, she assisted in installing Empretec programmes in Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Sierra Leone.

As hard-working as she was, Mrs. Acquah won a number of meritorious awards for her work. On the tenth anniversary of Empretec Ghana Foundation, she received an award for work done in the establishment of the Foundation.

Her devotion to women in enterprise was exemplary, ensuring that programmes and interventions that pulled women up to stand tall in business were always in the offing, wherever she found herself. No wonder the Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs accorded her two awards for her contribution to business development in the country.

The pinnacle of her professional recognition came in 2006 when the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana adjudged her the Marketing Woman of the Year.

She did not rest even after achieving that prestigious recognition as a marketing personality. Her good work in business development was carried to another level.

In 2012, she was accorded the Ghana Women’s Excellence Award through the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs. That same year, an international NGO, GWIN, awarded her a medal and certificate at the innovative Women in Business; workplace and Leadership.

Her passion for excellence and good results attracted her services to serve on the Boards of numerous institutions. She served on the Boards of Ecobank Ghana, Camelot, Bayport Financial Services, Food Research Institute, Gold Coast Securities, Metropolitan and Allied Bank, Women’s World Banking and the Institute of Banking, among others.

In building up an impeccable career in banking, Mrs. Acquah served in senior positions at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), National Investment Bank (NIB), Merchant Bank, and Women’s World Banking.

She had a solid academic achievement that helped in sharpening her skills and which laid a foundation for the kind of successful career she chalked for herself. She had an Executive Master’s Degree in Business Administration, MBA (Finance), a BA in Economics and Law and a postgraduate diploma in Project Appraisal and Management.

Selfless and unassuming, she did not keep the knowledge and rich experience acquired over the years to herself but put it at the service of many who would today testify to her apt guidance, especially in business.

With a penchant for the development of others, particularly, women, Mrs. Acquah will be sorely missed by the scores of successful women entrepreneurs she mentored across the country. Majority of them benefitted from her encouragement and good counsel.

Death has laid its icy hands on a spectacular woman who never stopped serving her nation and enterprising women in particular.

Ghana has lost a woman of substance. Her family has lost a star, her Church has lost a woman of great faith and her community will cherish her for her care and respect for all.

She was survived by her husband of over 40 years, Dr. Peter Acquah, her biological children, Monica, Nana and Kofi and numerous non-biological children she nurtured over the years.

Fare thee well a woman of substance.

Da yie a development banking guru.

Rest in peace Felicity.

You have served your people well.

Go and rest in eternal peace.