Atta Kwabena Kumah is popularly known as Attah Mortuary Man
A man who shot to fame after former President Jerry John Rawlings mentioned him in a speech has been honored by the 37 Military Hospital. The hospital has named its Anatomical department after him for "playing a significant role in making the department popular".
Atta Kwabena Kumah, referred to by many, including the former President as "Attah Mortuary Man", was mentioned in 2010 by Jerry John Rawlings at an NDC Delegates' Conference in Tamale as he[Rawlings] sought to describe his relationship with then President, John Evans Atta Mills.
The former President in his speech said, "one night, Old Man Atta could not go home, so he decided to stay at the mortuary. It got so cold that he pulled a white sheet off one of the corpses and wrapped himself in it. As someone who had got used to handling corpses, this was normal with him. When he stepped out to urinate, something happened. A soldier, who saw what to him was an apparition or a ghost, took to his heels. When Old Man Atta saw the soldier running away at top speed, he also ran after the soldier without finding out the cause of the soldier’s action."
He continued, "As the soldier ran towards the safety and security of a guardroom at the hospital, Old Man Atta also ran in the same direction. A happy ending to the story was that there was no apparition or ghost, and no one was hurt."
Atta Kwabena Kumah, a Kete Krachi native, later passed on at age 83 having served at the hospital for 42 years. Authorities thus, deemed it necessary to honor him.
Other personalities who were also honored by the hospital include Brig. Gen. G. K Deh, Brig. Gen. A. B Gyening, Brig. Gen. D. A Twum, Brig. Gen. J M Ayettey and a host of others. The move was in respect of their dedicated service to the 37 military hospital.
