GAF ready for Major Mahama's farewell

Officers of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have embarked on series of rehearsals as they prepare for a full military burial for the late Major Maxwell Mahama at the forecourt of State House.

The military funeral ceremony includes, among others, over 200 soldiers lining up along the streets at the State House and the military cemetery.

Fourteen military persons constituting an honour guard team will fire three volleys from their rifles to pay their last respects to the deceased.

The national flag, regarded as the soul and spirit of the country, will be used to cover the casket and later folded and presented to the wife as an honour for keeps and remembrance that her husband passed on while serving ‘the colours’, as military tradition demands.

The outline for the burial service of Major Maxwell Adam Mahama has been published by the planning committee on behalf of government.

Committee Chairman Enoch Osei-Mensah indicated on Wednesday June 7 that a vigil service by the military would be held at the Arakan Officers’ Mess on Thursday June 8 at 1900 hrs.

The body of the deceased would be moved from 37 Military Hospital to the forecourt of the State House on Friday June 9 at 0600 hrs for filing past and then burial service commences at 0910hrs.

Afterwards there will be a procession to the Osu Military Cemetery for interment. Final funeral rites will be held at the Forecourt of the State House immediately after burial.

The thanksgiving service is slated for Lighthouse Chapel International, North Kaneshie, on Sunday June 11 at 1030hrs.

The final funeral rites will be held at Bole from June 13 to June 15 and Tumu from June 16 to June 18 respectively.

The late soldier was lynched by a group of people at Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region where he was on official duty to combat illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.

The angry mob mistook Major Mahama for an armed robber after a snail seller spotted a pistol on him when he was reaching for his pocket to pay for snails he had bought from her while jogging on Monday 29 May.