Resolve all issues and give us agreed date for Rawlings’s burial – Government to family

The Office of the President has advised the families of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings to resolve all outstanding matters regarding his funeral and burial and convey the final date to the presidency.

It follows disagreements between the families of the late former leader regarding the date for his burial.

The Anlo Traditional Council expressed outrage through a statement issued on Monday, 30 November 2020, signed by Mr James Victor Gbeho, which announced that the late former President would be buried on 23 December 2020.

The announcement said: “The family of His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings has, in consultation with the government, agreed that the date for the State funeral of the former President is confirmed for Wednesday, 23 December 2020 at the Independence Square in Accra”.

“The family is working in conjunction with the government on the finer details of the funeral ceremony and will communicate the arrangements in due course”, the statement said.

It added: “Individuals and institutions who wish to contribute tributes to the memory of Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings are reminded to email such tributes to tributes@jjrawlingsmemorial.org”.

However, the Anlo traditional council said in a counter-statement that it “wishes to express, in its strongest possible terms, its total outrage for the disrespect shown to the culture, traditions, mores and usages of our practices in the release of the so-called press statement”.

“Our anger stems from the fact that President J. J. Rawlings was not only a former Head of State and President of the Republic of Ghana, but he was also a properly-installed Chief of Anlo land, whose unfortunate demise must be dealt with in accordance with customs and traditions of Anlo”.

The office of the President, however, said it is the obligation of the state to accord the former President a befitting state burial and, therefore, wants all outstanding matters to be resolved for that to happen.