Ghanaians will today, Friday, November 13, 2020, begin a seven-day mourning period for demised revolutionary and political leader, Jerry John Rawlings.
All national flags will also fly at half-mast in all parts of the country from today.
These presidential orders will end on Friday, November 20, 2020.
“I have directed that all national flags should fly at half-mast for the next seven (7) days in all parts of the country, and have declared seven days of national mourning from Friday, 13th November to Friday, 20th November. In honour of the memory of former President Rawlings, the Vice President and I have suspended our political campaigns for the same period”, the President announced.
The first President of the 4th Republic died on Thursday, November 12, 2020, after serving over 20 years as Head of State and Government of the Country both as a military ruler and democratically elected President.
He died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital at the age of 73.
Citi News sources said the former President has been unwell for the past few weeks shortly after he buried his late mother, Madam Victoria Agbotui in October 2020.
Already, tributes have been pouring in to mourn the former President.
I’m extremely disturbed and saddened by Rawlings’ death – Akufo-Addo
Nana Akufo-Addo has also expressed regret over the death of ex-president Jerry John Rawlings whom he described as a man with great energy and dynamism.
He said news of President Rawlings’ passing has left him extremely disturbed and saddened.
President Akufo-Addo was addressing the Rawlings family at the Jubilee House on Thursday after they visited to officially inform him about his death.
Nana Akufo-Addo said he was yet to fully assimilate the unfortunate information.
“I was given this information this on Thursday morning 5when I arrived at the office. I find it hard, up to now, to really assimilate this information. This is a man with great vitality, dynamism and energy,” he said.
“He and I had a tempestuous relationship…I believe that we came to see value in each other by the end. I am extremely disturbed and saddened by his passage,” Akufo-Addo added.
source: Citi Newsroom
