| Onegi Obel | |
|---|---|
| Onegi Obel | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 4, 1932 Pacego Pumvuga, Nebbi District, Uganda |
| Died | December 16, 2008 |
| Nationality | Ugandan |
| Alma mater | St. Aloysius College Assumption University University of Toronto, |
| Occupation | Economist and Politician |
Angelo Onegi Obel (April 4, 1932 - December 16, 2008) was a Ugandan economist and politician and former adviser to the President of Uganda.
Obel was born in the village of Pacego Pumvuga in the sub county of Panyango in Jonam in the southern part of what was formerly known as West Nile district, today within the territory of Nebbi District. In the early 1940s he attended Ngetta Catholic Primary School in Lira before attending junior secondary school at St. Aloysius College in Nyapea until in 1948.[1] He then joined Namilyango college and graduated in 1953.
After graduating, Obel became employed by the Uganda civil services and worked as a clerical officer in accountancy in Lira and Arua.[1] He later obtained a Cambridge school certificate through correspondence enrolled in Assumption University before joining the University of Toronto, where he graduated with his Masters degree in economics in 1965.[1] He then returned to Uganda and was accepted into the Ugandan government, serving in the Ministry of Finance and as commissioner for taxation.
In 1968, he became employed in the Bank of Uganda and served both as Deputy Governor and Governor, respectively until 1978. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995 constitution of Uganda.
His efforts towards developing the economy and instructure of Uganda and corporate interests often led to conflict and in 2006, for instance, he was involved in a legal battle over the construction of a bridge which jeopardized the liveihoods of local farmers.[2]
Onegi Obel is often confused with his son Geoffrey Onegi Obel who is also a noted economist who led the NSSF (national social security fund) through its largest expansion in size and productivity since its foundation in 1986.