{{short description|Ghanaian economist}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | name = Amon Nikoi | honorific_suffix = <small>OV</small> | caption = | order = | office3 = Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations | term_start3 = 1957 | term_end3 = 1960 | president3 = Kwame Nkrumah | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | office2 = Governor, Bank of Ghana | term_start2 = 16 March 1973 | term_end2 = June 1977 | president2 = Ignatius Kutu Acheampong | predecessor2 = J.H. Frimpong-Ansah | successor2 = A.E.K. Ashiabor | office = Minister for Finance and Economic Planning | term_start = September 1979 | term_end = May 1981 | president = Hilla Limann | predecessor = J. L. S. Abbey | successor = George Benneh | constituency = | majority = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1930|1|19|df=y|}} | birth_name = Seth Amon Nikoi | birth_place = Accra, Gold Coast | death_date = {{Death date and age|2002|9|5|1930|1|19|df=y}} | death_place = Accra, Ghana | party = | relations = {{Collapsible list|Nii Amaa Ollennu (uncle)|Nathan Quao (uncle)|Nicholas T. Clerk (cousin)|George C. Clerk (cousin)}} | spouse = Gloria Amon Nikoi (m. 1959)<ref name="company1959">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kEEDAAAAMBAJ&q=Gloria+Amon+Nikoi+(nee+Addae),&pg=PA39 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317142140/https://books.google.com/books?id=kEEDAAAAMBAJ&q=Gloria+Amon+Nikoi+(nee+Addae),&pg=PA39 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 17, 2022 |title=Jet |last1=|first1=|date=1959-07-23 |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company |language=en }}</ref> | children = 3 | education = {{unbulleted list|Achimota College|Amherst College (<small>B.A.</small>)|Harvard University (<small>MPA, Ph.D.</small>)}} | alma_mater = | occupation = {{hlist|Economist|Diplomat}} | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Amon Nikoi''', born '''Seth Amon Nikoi''', {{post nominals|post-noms=OV}} (19 January 1930 – 5 September 2002) was a Ghanaian economist and diplomat.<ref name="BOG">{{cite web|url=http://www.bog.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=129%3Agovernors-and-deputy-governors-of-the-bank-since-its-inception&catid=64&Itemid=137 |title=Governors and Deputy Governors of the Bank Since its Inception |publisher=www.bog.gov.gh |access-date=2 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114182125/http://bog.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=129%3Agovernors-and-deputy-governors-of-the-bank-since-its-inception&catid=64&Itemid=137 |archive-date=14 November 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Gov-t-informed-about-the-death-of-Dr-Amon-Nikoi-27747 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408010120/https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Gov-t-informed-about-the-death-of-Dr-Amon-Nikoi-27747 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2018-04-08 |title=Gov't informed about the death of Dr Amon Nikoi |website=www.ghanaweb.com |language=en |access-date=2017-04-28 }}</ref> He was the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations between 1957 and 1960 as well as the Governor of the Bank of Ghana from 16 March 1973 to June 1977.<ref name="BOG"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ghanaweb.com/mobile/wap.small/news.article.php?ID%3D27747 |title=GhanaWeb, Validation Error |access-date=2013-11-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111190528/http://ghanaweb.com/mobile/wap.small/news.article.php?ID=27747 |archive-date=2013-11-11 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=171 |title=Dr Amon Nikoi, Former Governor of the Bank of Ghana |publisher=Ghanaweb.com |access-date=2017-04-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027192942/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=171 |archive-date=2016-10-27 }}</ref> He had a stint as the Finance minister and a presidential advisor between September 1979 to May 1981 under Hilla Limann during the Third Republic.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XAwbx_PKGxsC&q=%22Amon+Nikoi%22&pg=PP142|title=Ghana News|date=1979|publisher=Embassy of Ghana|language=en}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Nikoi was born in the Accra suburb of La on 19 January 1930 to Ga parents.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Former-Bank-of-Ghana-Governor-buried-at-La-28089 |title=Former Bank of Ghana Governor buried at La |website=www.ghanaweb.com |date=30 November 2001 |language=en |access-date=2017-04-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421092109/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Former-Bank-of-Ghana-Governor-buried-at-La-28089 |archive-date=2017-04-21 }}</ref> His father, Gottfried Ashaley Nikoi was a civil servant while his mother, Agnes Betty Oboshie Quao was a teacher and a textiles trader. Amon Nikoi's maternal great-grandfather, Nii Ngleshie Addy I was the oldest son of Nii Tetteh Tsuru I, the founder and ruler of the Otuopai Clan, a royal house in Ga Mashie.
Amon Nikoi had his primary and middle education at the Roman Catholic Jubilee School in Cape Coast followed by his secondary school at Achimota College between 1945 and 1948.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> He graduated from Amherst College in 1953 with a bachelor's degree in Economics.<ref name=":1" /> He proceeded to Harvard University as a Fellow from 1953 to 1955 for his master's degree in Public Administration and a doctorate in Political Economy and Government.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Nikoi|first=Amon|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/35745600|title=Indirect rule and government in Gold Coast Colony 1844-1954; a study in the history, ecology and politics of administration in a changing society.|publisher=Harvard University|year=1956|location=Cambridge, MA}}</ref> Both degrees were conferred upon Nikoi in 1956.<ref name=":1" /> Amon Nikoi's Ph.D. dissertation was titled, ''"Indirect rule and government in Gold Coast Colony 1844-1954; a study in the history, ecology and politics of administration in a changing society."''<ref name=":3" />
== Career == From 1957 to 1960, he worked with the Commonwealth and Foreign Service as an economic and political affairs secretary-attaché<ref name="BOG" /> at the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC and the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations (UN).<ref name=":0" /> In 1960, he was appointed the Alternate Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) until 1966 when he was promoted to the level of executive director of the IMF. He left the IMF to return to his homeland at the end of 1968. In January 1969, he became the first Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> He was quickly given the portfolio of Senior Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, a position he remained in until February 1973.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The Ghanaian government selected and confirmed him as the new governor and chairman of the board of directors of the Bank of Ghana in March 1973 until his forced retirement in June 1977 by the military government, National Redemption Council (NRC) led by Army General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sHGo4zkanDsC&q=amon+nikoi+education&pg=PA131|title=The Ghanaian Revolution|last1=Amamoo|first1=Joseph G.|date=2000|publisher=iUniverse|isbn=9780595146277|pages=131|language=en}}</ref> When constitutional rule returned in 1979, the Third Republican government of the Hilla Limann-led People's National Party (PNP) made him Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and later, a presidential advisor.<ref name=":1" /> He entered private practice as an Economic and Financial Consultant to various private sector firms and public institutions both home and abroad.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> He was also the chairman of Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) and Grains Warehousing Company.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> In recognition of his services to Ghana in Public Administration and Banking, the government at the time, Supreme Military Council II led by military general, Fred Akuffo awarded him the State Honour of the Order of the Volta (Civil Division).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
== Personal life and family ==
He was married to Gloria Amon Nikoi (née Addae),<ref name="company1959"/> Ghana's first female foreign minister.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> They had three children.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> His younger brother, Gottfried Dzane Nikoi worked in the Attorney–General's Department as a state attorney. His maternal uncle was the Ghanaian barrister and judge, Nii Amaa Ollennu who was elected the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana during the Second Republic as well as serving as the Chairman of the Presidential Commission and acting President of Ghana from 7 August 1970 to 31 August 1970.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/history/list_lawyers/home.htm|title=Official Web Site for the Judicial Service of the Republic of Ghana|date=2005-04-14|access-date=2017-06-06|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050414064831/http://www.judicial.gov.gh/history/list_lawyers/home.htm|archive-date=14 April 2005}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rulers.org/rulg1.html#ghana|title=Countries Ga-Gi|website=rulers.org|access-date=2017-06-06|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403074857/http://www.rulers.org/rulg1.html|archive-date=3 April 2007}}</ref> The diplomat and public servant, Nathan Quao was also his uncle.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news|url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/74014/nathan-quao-to-be-given-state-burial-on-april-8.html|title=Nathan Quao to be given state burial on April 8|work=ModernGhana.com|access-date=2017-06-11|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611201449/https://www.modernghana.com/news/74014/nathan-quao-to-be-given-state-burial-on-april-8.html|archive-date=2017-06-11|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Nathan-Quao-to-be-given-state-burial-on-April-8-77485|title=Nathan Quao to be given state burial on April 8|website=www.ghanaweb.com|date=30 November 2001|language=en|access-date=2017-06-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611201449/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Nathan-Quao-to-be-given-state-burial-on-April-8-77485|archive-date=2017-06-11|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Nathan-Quao-s-life-epitomises-the-Civil-Service-78893|title=Nathan Quao's life epitomises the Civil Service|website=www.ghanaweb.com|date=30 November 2001|language=en|access-date=2017-06-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611201523/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Nathan-Quao-s-life-epitomises-the-Civil-Service-78893|archive-date=2017-06-11|url-status=live}}</ref> His first cousins were the brothers, Nicholas and George Clerk.<ref name=":022">{{Cite web|url=http://www.odadee.net/school|title=PRESEC {{!}} ALUMNI PORTAL|date=2016-11-11|access-date=2017-06-11|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111065106/http://www.odadee.net/school|archive-date=11 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=":122">{{Cite web|url=http://www.odadee75.org/downloads/70years.pdf|title=70 years of excellent secondary education|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722010817/http://www.odadee75.org/downloads/70years.pdf|archive-date=22 July 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Death and funeral == Nikoi died of natural causes on 5 September 2002.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> His funeral service was held at the Accra Ridge Church where he was a congregant and his remains were buried at the La Public Cemetery.<ref name=":1" />
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=J.H. Frimpong-Ansah}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor of Bank of Ghana|years=1973–1977}} {{s-aft|after=A.E.K. Ashiabor}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=J. L. S. Abbey}} {{s-ttl|title=Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning|years=1979-1981}} {{s-aft|after=George Benneh}}
{{s-end}}
{{Governors of the Bank of Ghana}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nikoi, Amon}} Category:1930 births Category:2002 deaths Category:Alumni of Achimota School Category:Amherst College alumni Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni Category:Ga-Adangbe people Category:Ghanaian economists Category:Governors of Bank of Ghana Category:Finance ministers of Ghana Category:Ghanaian civil servants Category:Permanent representatives of Ghana to the United Nations Category:Ghanaian Presbyterians Category:People from Accra Category:Recipients of the Order of the Volta Category:Ghanaian presidential advisors