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President Akufo-Addo (left), consoling the widow, Madam Agness Boakye. PHOTOS BY EMMANUEL BAAH
A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team, Nana Akomea believes President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not to blame for the reported disregard of COVID-19 protocols at Sir John’s funeral.
Therefore, he says appeals to President Akufo-Addo to apologize were out of place, as some people portrayed him as if President Akufo-Addo was personally responsible for the reported disregard of the protocols.
He insisted that security agencies had a responsibility to ensure that protocols were not flouted.
Security should have controlled the number of funerals and prevented the crowds from gathering.
Regret
“I think it is enough for anyone to express regret … an apology will mean that directly he [Akufo-Addo] was responsible. “
Last week, the former director general of the Forestry Commission, Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, who died in July 2020, was buried in his hometown, Sakora-Wonoo, in the Ashanti region.
Sakora-Wonoo, a farming community near Bonwire in the Kwabre East district of the Ashanti region, has been made too small to accommodate the large number of mourners who have invaded the town to mourn the passing of Sir John who was a former general secretary of thegoverningNew Patriotic Party (NPP).
People from all walks of life, especially members of the NPP and the political class, marched past the remains.
President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Chief Justice, Judge Kwasi Anin Yeboah and many other leaders of the country, including Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the main opposition political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
A large number of members of the Seventh-day Adventist faith (SDA), lawyers, forest sector value chain actors, ordinary people have come there to mourn or see the body, as well as media professionals who set themselves up for full coverage of the funeral.
Schools have been closed in anticipation of large crowds that could disrupt lessons.
Public concerns
The public has been concerned about a reported incident about how COVID-19 protocols on social distancing and wearing of face covering (face mask) were flouted at the funeral last Thursday[3Jun2021)[June32021)[3juin2021)[June32021)
OccupyGhana and the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) for example called on the police to punish those who flouted the protocols while the NDC called on President Akufo-Addo to apologize.
Contributing to the radio talks on Peace FM’s Kookrokoo Tuesday morning, Nana Akomea admitted that it was not good that the protocols were flouted by some people.
He was of the opinion that apart from the organizers, security should have ensured that there was a check.
Nana Akomea, who is also the managing director of Intercity STC, however insisted that President Akufo-Addo should not be blamed for this.
The stake must be placed on safety, “it comes down to safety”.
Why did they allow the crowd to gather? he wondered.
He said the situation should serve as a guide for security as to how to prepare for and prevent a similar situation in the future.
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