Ghanaians Pay their Last Respect to Kofi Annan
Majority of Ghanaians have been paying their last respects to celebrated diplomat – former United Nations (UN) Chief, Mr. Kofi Annan, today September 11,2018 as his body lies in state, at the Accra International Centre (AICC).
Hundreds of people have been filing past the body amid heavy security presence. The government has declared three days of national mourning for the late statesman, who rose through the ranks to become the seventh UN Secretary-General.
The body of late Ghanaian diplomat arrived in Ghana yesterday September 10,2018 from Switzerland where he died in August for a state burial and funeral service.
President Akufo Addo and other top senior government officials were at the Kotoka International Airport to receive the remains.
Mr. Annan passed on at the ripe age of 80, at a hospital in the Swiss city of Bern, on August 18, and his remains was flown in on Monday evening, for a befitting state funeral.
He was appointed as the Secretary-General on 13 December 1996 by the Security Council, and later confirmed by the General Assembly, making him the first office holder to be elected from the UN staff itself.
He was re-elected for a second term in 2001, and was succeeded as Secretary-General by Ban Ki-moon on 1 January 2007.
Madam Rejoice Adjeley Mensah, who led the La Bethel Women Fellowship to pay their respects to Mr Annan said in an interview with the media that, with herself and the rest of the team are there to honour the late statesman for his extraordinary service to humanity.
She added that he brought honour to Ghana and had earned his place in history.
“We are here to honour him and it is our prayer that he would find peaceful rest in the bosom of his maker.”
Tributes have been pouring in for Mr. Annan – a global statesman, who tirelessly fought for a fairer and more peaceful world. In 2001, he co-received the Nobel Peace Prize with the UN.
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