Rawlings attends funeral for Akwatia NDC Chairman

Akwatia, (E/R) May 31, GNA - Ex-President J.J. Rawlings was among hundreds of mourners who attended the funeral of the late NDC Akwatia constituency chairman, Mr Kenneth Asare Larbi, at Akwatia on Saturday. What was supposed to be a funeral rather turned out to be more of a mini-rally of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as hundreds of supporters of the party, who attended the funeral cheered and mobbed former President Rawlings.

Mr Larbi, who occupied the post over the last six years, died on April 20, this year, at the age of 40.

In a brief speech, Flt. Lt. Rawlings assured the party's faithful that come January 2005, the NDC would be back in power.

He said everything points to NDC victory in the December general elections "since the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has failed the nation." The founder of the NDC expressed appreciation for the enthusiastic reception accorded him and his entourage and said he was convinced that the Akwatia constituency seat would be re-captured by the NDC from the NPP in December.

Mr Fred Ohene-Kena, Eastern Regional NDC Chairman of the party said the NPP rode to power in 2000 through lies and deception and the people, having seen the truth, would vote them out.

He praised Mr Larbi for his dedicated service to the party and expressed the party's deepest condolences to the bereaved family. Ex-President Rawlings had earlier attended the funeral of the late Seth Wilson Gyekye, a former Birim South District Chief Executive at Akim-Awisa.