Major Quashigah to be buried on March 20

Accra, March 5, GNA - Major Courage Emmanuel Kobla Quashigah (Rtd), former Minister of Health will be buried on Saturday, March 20 at the Quashigah Family Cemetery at Woe near Keta in the Volta Region. There will be a Military pre-burial service at the Methodist/Presbyterian Church at Burma Camp in Accra, wake-keeping at Kedzi and subsequently at the deceased's residence near the Keta Hospital, Dzelukope.

The Head of the Quashigah Family, Dumega Michael Kwaku Quashigah and the Chairman of the Quashigah Family Union, Professor Kofi Quashigah, who made this known in a press release issued in Accra on Friday, said the burial service would be held at the Keta Secondary School Park on Saturday. The thanksgiving service would take place at the Aggrey Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, Mamprobi, Accra, while the celebration of Life would take place at the Trade Fair Site in Accra.

The late Major Quashigah was born on September 9, 1947 at Kedzi near Keta and was the first child of Mr. Livingstone Kofi Quashigah popularly called My Happiness and Madam Celestine Dede Katey Dokli both of blessed memory.

He started his formal education at the A.M.E Zion School, Kedzi. Between 1962 and 1969, he had his secondary education at the Keta Secondary School where he obtained his G.C.E. 'O' and 'A' Level Certificates. In pursuit of higher knowledge Major Quashigah gained admission at the University of Ghana, Legon in 1969, but left and enlisted into the Ghana Military Academy.

After nine months of intensive military training, he was selected on merit to continue at one of the most prestigious Military Academies in the world, the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in the United Kingdom in 1970. Courage graduated as second lieutenant in 1972 with an Academic Diploma in Economics, War and Communication Studies. He won the Prince Abdul Faisal Award for War Studies and a Cane and Certificate of Honour for being the Best Overseas Cadet and the Highest In The Order Of Merit.

On his return to Ghana in 1972, Courage joined the 1st Battalion of Infantry as a Platoon Commander where he also played as a member of the Hot Barrels Band and later as an instructor at the Junior Leaders Company in Kumasi in 1974.

He set a record as the first Black African to receive the Distinguished Honour Graduate certificate during a Ranger course in the US. He was also trained as an Airborne (Paratrooper) Ranger at the United States Army Infantry School.

From the Ranger Course, Major Quashigah was appointed the Intelligence Officer at the Headquarters of the Second Infantry Brigade in Kumasi and Chief Instructor at the Jungle Warfare School at Akim Achiase. He served as a member of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, which handed over power to an elected civilian government in 1979. He also served as Chief Operations Officer at the Headquarters of the Provisional National Defence Council at the Gondar barracks and a Commanding Officer of the Ghana Military Police.

In 1980, he received commendation for Efficient and Effective Command from the then United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Commander, General Emmanuel Erskine. Major Quashigah bec am e a member of the Directing Staff at the Military Academy and Training Schools and also served as a member of the Police Council. He also studied at the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College and the Canadian Staff School in 1987. In 1989, he studied at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College where on graduation he received the Everand Award for Oratory and Presentation Skills.

In 1992, when he was discharged honourably from the Ghana Armed Forces, he took part in a workshop in Civil Society and Local Government Organisation in Germany and was invited again by the organiser of the programme-Frederick Neumann Foundation to be trained in Political Strategy and Planning. He was also trained in South Africa by the same organisation in Facilitation and Moderation.

Major Quashigah became a member of the Publicity Committee and the National Organisation Committee of the New Patriotic Party from 1994 to 1996. In 1998, he contested and won the position of the first National Organiser of the party. Under the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, he was appointed Minister of Food and Agriculture and later the Minister of health.

In 2003 he was adjudged the Minister of the Year and the Personality of the Year. He also received the Order of the Star of the Volta, Companion Division by Mr Kufuor, during a National Awards Day. On the January 5 this year, he died in Israel where he was seeking medical attention. 5 March 10