Rawlings's death: Kufuor, Mahama, others to sign book of condolence on Monday – State Protocol

The State Protocol Department has scheduled former presidents John Agyekum Kufuor, John Dramani Mahama to sign the book of condolence opened in memory of the late President Jerry John Rawlings on Monday, November 16.

The two former heads of state are expected at the Accra International Conference Centre where the book will be open between 10:15am and 10.45am.

This will be after The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament Aaron Mike Oquaye; the Chief Justice His Lordship Anin Yeboah; members of the Judicial Committee; as well as Justices of the Supreme Court have signed between 9.00am and 10.10am.

According to a release by Nana Enoch Osei-Mensah, the Head of Protocol at the Office of the Vice President and Moderator of the signing of the book of condolence, details of the signing of the book will be available at the foyer of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) on November 16 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The schedule, according to the statement, is necessary “due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The statement comes after the controversy surrounding why John Mahama and the NDC leadership were prevented from signing the book.

On Friday, November 13, prior to his signing of the book, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the NDC General Secretary claimed that the book of condolence was taken away to deliberately prevent the NDC flagbearer from signing it.

“We were at the residence of the family to offer our condolences,” Johnson Asiedu Nketia told journalists, Asiedu Nketiah told reporters. “The maternal family from Anlo was represented, the nuclear family as well. We were led by our flagbearer. Upon arrival, we were informed that the book of condolence had been taken to the [Accra International] Conference Centre, so we should go there.

He continued: “By the time we reached there, the state officials had locked up the [Accra] International Conference Centre, taking the book away. When we enquired, we were told that they had been directed to prevent Mr. Mahama from signing.”

Read below the full statement from the State Protocol Department.