President Kufuor mourns Nkawiehene

Nkawie-Ashanti, Sept. 9, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor was last Monday among a large crowd of mourners at the burial of the late Nana Twum Barima Apau III, Nkawiehene at Nkawie in Atwima-Nwabiagya District of Ashanti.

President Kufuor and his entourage paid their last respect to the corpse laid in state at the palace before expressing his sympathy to the bereaved family and chiefs in the area at a durbar where he sat in state for exchange of greetings from the chiefs and queenmothers. The chiefs included, Baffour Owusu Asare Amankwatia V, Bantamahene who represented Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Nana Bi-Kusi Appiah, Omanhene of Manso-Nkwanta Traditional Area, Nana Agyen Frimpong, Tafohene of Kumasi and Nana Asiama Poku, Toasehene. President Kufuor donated 30 crates of soft drinks, 10 crates of star beer, 10 crates of Guinness, a carton of Schnapps, 50,000 Ghana cedis cash and two wreaths.

He was accompanied by Mr Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, Chief of Staff and Minister for Presidential Affairs, Dr Richard Winfred Anane, Minister for Transportation, Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister and Member of Parliament for Kwabre West. Others were, Mr Benito Owusu Bio, Member of Parliament for Atwima-Nwabiagya, Mr Thomas Ofori-Donkor, Atwima-Nwabiagya District Chief Executive and Mr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Mponua District Chief Executive.

The late Nana Apau who was enstooled in 1976 died after a protracted illness in May this year at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, He was 70. He was buried at the royal mausoleum at Nkawie in the night.