And
Rawlings wept…
By Mohammed Awal & Amanda Obeng
A
former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings, yesterday joined thousands of
Ghanaians to mark the one-week mourning of the demise of the late President
Prof. John Evans Atta Mills in Accra.
The late President passed away on Tuesday, last week, at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, after battling cancer.
Mr. Rawlings, who was at the Castle Garden, Osu, to mourn with the family, government and people of Ghana, could not control his tears as he wept.
The former President, who is also the founder of the Mahama-led ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and had been an ardent critic of the departed soul’s style of governance, amazed mourners at the event from the way he broke down.
The former military junta head shared his perspective on the demise of the late President Mills some hours after the disaster to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), where he made uncustomary remarks of the late President.
He stated that if the late President had been wiser, he could have lived for at least six to seven months. This sparked confusion in the West African country.
In a swift rebuttal, the family of the late President described Chairman Rawlings’ comments as “insensitive, uncustomary and in-humane.”
The Office of President Rawlings later apologised to the family of the late President for their boss’ unguarded comments on BBC.
In a message, President John Dramani Mahama, who succeeded the late President, stated that “the departed soul had paid his dues to the country.”
He, therefore, used the occasion to appeal to the family of the late President to forgive those who vilified his former boss when he was alive.
President Mahama assured the nation: “The Funeral Planning Committee of the late President is doing its best to give a befitting burial to the late President.”
According to him, the late President had passed a heavy responsibility to him. So, he pleaded to the good people of Ghana to rally behind him, to enable him perform the task.
The officiating Minister, Rev. Amu Darko, told the gathering that the late President would have wished for a solemn celebration.
Dignitaries present at the Castle Gardens included the Chief Justice, Her Lordship Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, Chairman of the Council of State, Prof. Kofi Awoonor, ministers of state, first lady of the Republic, Mrs. Lordina Mahama, a former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.
The mourners, who were all in mourning clothes, sang hymns, while prayers were said by various reverend ministers to mark the one-week commemoration of the death of the late Professor.
The late President passed away on Tuesday, last week, at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, after battling cancer.
Mr. Rawlings, who was at the Castle Garden, Osu, to mourn with the family, government and people of Ghana, could not control his tears as he wept.
The former President, who is also the founder of the Mahama-led ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and had been an ardent critic of the departed soul’s style of governance, amazed mourners at the event from the way he broke down.
The former military junta head shared his perspective on the demise of the late President Mills some hours after the disaster to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), where he made uncustomary remarks of the late President.
He stated that if the late President had been wiser, he could have lived for at least six to seven months. This sparked confusion in the West African country.
In a swift rebuttal, the family of the late President described Chairman Rawlings’ comments as “insensitive, uncustomary and in-humane.”
The Office of President Rawlings later apologised to the family of the late President for their boss’ unguarded comments on BBC.
In a message, President John Dramani Mahama, who succeeded the late President, stated that “the departed soul had paid his dues to the country.”
He, therefore, used the occasion to appeal to the family of the late President to forgive those who vilified his former boss when he was alive.
President Mahama assured the nation: “The Funeral Planning Committee of the late President is doing its best to give a befitting burial to the late President.”
According to him, the late President had passed a heavy responsibility to him. So, he pleaded to the good people of Ghana to rally behind him, to enable him perform the task.
The officiating Minister, Rev. Amu Darko, told the gathering that the late President would have wished for a solemn celebration.
Dignitaries present at the Castle Gardens included the Chief Justice, Her Lordship Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, Chairman of the Council of State, Prof. Kofi Awoonor, ministers of state, first lady of the Republic, Mrs. Lordina Mahama, a former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.
The mourners, who were all in mourning clothes, sang hymns, while prayers were said by various reverend ministers to mark the one-week commemoration of the death of the late Professor.
