The Minority has lashed out at President Akufo-Addo for not declaring a national day of mourning following the untimely demise of former vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Authur.
The former vice president died shortly after being rushed to the 37 Military Hospital after he reportedly collapsed whilst at the Airforce Base Gym on Friday June 29, 2018
Amissah-Arthur was an economist, academic and politician who was the sixth Vice-President of Ghana, in office from 6 August 2012 until 7 January 2017, under President John Mahama.
According to eyewitnesses, the ailing vice president was conveyed to the 37 military hospital in a pickup vehicle because there was no ambulance, rekindling the old-age discussion on inadequate ambulances in the country.
Speaking to Starr News’ Parliamentary correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan the Member of Parliament (MP) for Adaklu, Kwame Agbodza said the government’s failure to declare even a day of mourning for the late Central Bank Governor speaks to how unconcerned the Akufo-Addo administration is about his death.
“I am completely shocked that the President of the Republic of Ghana doesn’t find it fitting to declare even an hour of mourning for the demise of the former vice President. It is uncharacteristic of our President. Every other President or somebody of that stature that has passed got a better dignity from the sitting President. Vice President Amissah-Authur didn’t get that,” he stated.
He thus urged the President Akufo-Addo to “swallow his pride” and do the needful as his silence “is becoming un-Ghanaian.”
“And I am still urging the President that it is not too late. Swallow your pride. You need to declare a certain period of mourning for our late Vice President Amissah-Authur. It is not too late. It is rather becoming un-Ghanaian for him to just keep quiet over it. You couldn’t go and publish your sorrow about his demise on Facebook and failed to officially convey that information to the public and then give a certain period of mourning,” he stated.
He continued that the circumstances leading to the demise of the former vice president must be investigated immediately saying “if a former vice president can’t even get the needed support in terms of just ambulances and paramedics, what do I have or the people in Adaklu have in having that.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
