Live telecast affects Oguaa's burial service of Late President Mills

The funeral ceremony of the late President Mills at Cape Coast in the Central Region on Friday was lowly patronized due to the live telecast of the funeral proceedings on television.

A number of people the GNA spoke to were of the view that the Regional Coordinating Council and the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly should have cancelled the funeral service on Friday because all the family members of the late president and the Regional Minister were out of the region, hence the low patronage.

Most people either stayed at home or were in their shops to watch the proceeding whilst others went to drinking spots, restaurants and other entertainment centres to enjoy themselves.

However, some Assembly members, heads of departments, market women and a cross section of the public as well as the leaders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who were clad in red and black converged at the jubilee park to pay their last respect to the late President Mills.

A giant portrait of the late President was placed in front of the dais of the jubilee park, decorated with beautiful flowers and candles as the mourners were treated to solemn music provided by the Fire Angels band, interspersed with scripture readings from the Holy Bible.

A number of tributes including one from the Deputy Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mr. Graham Wilberforce, described the late president as a honest, truthful, God fearing and hard working man, who loved his country and the region in particular.

Mr. Wilberforce consoled the people of Oguaa and told them that the death of the late President should urge them on to remain firm and focused, stressing that this was the only way they could honour the late president.

The short and solemn ceremony ended with the laying of wreaths by representatives of the Regional Minister, NDC, the Market Women Association, the Traditional Council and the Council of Churches.

The people however suggested that a special day be set aside for the region to hold a befitting funeral for the late President.

The late President John Evans Atta Mills died in Accra on Tuesday July 24, 2012.**